The Green Bay Packers lost their primary weapon and Jordan Love's preferred target last season. Tucker Kraft was in the midst of a breakout campaign before a torn ACL in his right knee cut his campaign short.
Kraft was always expected to be back to full strength for the start of the season. He hasn't missed time, but he hasn't been nearly as sharp as he was in his breakout campaign, which has obviously taken a toll on the passing game's efficiency.
While this might be just a case of him needing to shake off the rust and get back into a groove, the Packers desperately need him to step up. Fortunately for him, his next matchup is tailor-made for his game.
Tucker Kraft should have a field day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Through three games, Kraft has hauled in just 9 of his 17 targets for 106 yards and zero touchdowns. Nearly half of his receptions have been for a first down (4), but he's still been a far cry from the YAC specialist he was last season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have struggled to contain playmaking tight ends. Mike Gessicki tormented them for 78 yards and one touchdown in five receptions, and Harold Fannin Jr. is coming off finding paydirt twice in Week 3.
Not so long ago, Kraft was Jordan Love's go-to guy, both in fourth-down situations and near the goal line. Of course, even with Romeo Doubs gone, sharing the field with a healthy Christian Watson and a rising Matthew Golden also impacts his target share, but that hasn't been the only problem here.
Kraft is an explosive guy who has made a living out of making defenders miss in the open field. He's tough as nails, and it usually takes more than one defender to get him on the ground. That mobility and elusiveness have been nowhere to be found thus far.
Of course, he also deserves some slack. He's coming off a major injury, and it might be a while before he can regain his confidence. That's why getting him involved early and often in a matchup like this can be the beginning of something special.
Kraft got on the fans' wrong side with his post-game comments in Week 3, but they're still all rooting and pulling for him. The team is much better when he's out there, and it should be just a matter of time before he proves why he was worth every penny he got in that big extension.
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