The Green Bay Packers had their 2025 season turned upside down by the injury bug. They had multiple key starters go down with season-ending injuries that derailed what could’ve been a Super Bowl contender.
Tight end Tucker Kraft was the first player to go down with a season-ending injury, suffering a torn ACL in Week 9. Before the devastating injury, Kraft was in the midst of a breakout season, racking up 32 receptions (44 targets) for 489 yards and six touchdowns.
If Kraft stayed healthy, he would’ve certainly been a Pro Bowler and possibly could’ve been an All-Pro at his position. Now, Kraft is working on getting back on the field for the 2026 season. On Monday, he provided an update on his rehab, which should give Packers fans some hope.
“I’m not in a race or anything like that. It happened. By the time Week 1 rolls around, I’ll be 10 months post-surgery and hopefully bulletproofed by then. I already feel pretty good. My progress so far has been great. Some would say even ahead of schedule,” Kraft said via The Athletic's Matt Scheidman.
Packers' TE Situation Already Looking Up as Offseason Begins
For as rough as the season was for the Packers, it's good to hear that Kraft’s rehab is going well and ahead of schedule. If you’re Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur, you might not feel the need to address the tight end spot in the draft or free agency based on Kraft’s comments.
The Packers already know who they have in Luke Musgrave, who didn’t have the best of starts through the first few weeks without Kraft. However, the Packers did figure out how to use Musgrave in the offense as a downfield threat, as evidenced by his 10.9 yards per reception average over his last nine games.
And then there’s Josh Whyle, whom the Packers signed off the practice squad following Kraft’s injury. Whyle doesn’t offer much as a run blocker, but as a receiver, there’s some upside that he didn’t show much of in limited action – five receptions (six targets) for 36 yards and a touchdown in eight games.
Whyle is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this offseason, giving the Packers the first chance to bring him back.
That said, when Kraft does return at the start of next season, the Packers could have one of the better tight end rooms in the league. Packers fans shouldn’t expect Kraft to look like his 2025 self immediately in 2026, but knowing a definitive timeline should help the team focus on other positions of need.