Paul Bretl | 8/6/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, Packers’ second-year tight end Tucker Kraft was back on the practice field Tuesday and ahead of schedule.
“I’ve known my return to play date from the moment I got hurt,” said Kraft at his locker. “We broke it down. The day after that I left and had surgery. Came back and it’s just been recovery ever since. We originally were gonna kind of just try to come back after the Browns game but I’m doing really good. Feeling really healthy. Ahead of the protocol. So, it feels good.”
Kraft did not participate in offseason programs and missed the first two weeks of training camp rehabbing from a torn pec that he suffered back in the Spring. The injury happened during a “regular lift,” as Kraft put it.
Similarly to Zach Tom, who was also rehabbing a pec injury and just returned to 11-on-11s on Tuesday, Kraft is going to have to go through a ramp-up process before returning to the team portion of practice.
“So right now we’re just in a ramp up period,” Kraft said. “So over the next two weeks there will be just more and more. I’ve been doing–you guys don’t see me, but I was in the indoor for the last three weeks and just grinding in there. Trying to get as familiar with contact again as possible. Working in those weird positions. Positions I don’t want to be in. But just working through those and see if they cause pain. We’re progressing really well. So you guys will see me a lot more involved down the road.”
Kraft added that he isn’t going to play in the Packers first two preseason games. As far as the third preseason game, well, that remains to be seen. But regardless, Kraft’s focus is on returning for the Packers’ season opener in Brazil against Philadelphia.
“Without a doubt,” said Kraft when asked if he’s confident that he can be ready for Week 1. “I’m not supposed to talk about timelines and stuff like that. But you see me out there today, you’ll see me in Brazil.”
Kraft’s role during his rookie year began relatively small, as he was often used as a blocker, averaging just over 12 snaps per game through five weeks. However, as Kraft got more acclimated, his role began to expand before he was regularly playing 80-plus percent of the offensive snaps following Luke Musgrave’s kidney injury in Week 11, and tasked with impacting the passing game as well.
From Week 12 on, Kraft caught 28 of his 36 targets for 327 yards and two touchdowns. During that span, Kraft ranked 10th among tight ends in targets, eighth in yards and was sixth in YAC.
“Well, I just, really I just took what opportunity I had and I ran with it,” said Kraft about his rookie season. “There was a point in the season last year where I had to look myself in the mirror and say if I’m only going to get opportunities to run block and pass pro then I’m going to be the best on our team in run block and pass pro.
“So those opportunities carried through three weeks and my career changed with a flat route. I didn’t have to have a coach try to get me open, I got myself open. Caught a ball in the flat, turned up and I stepped out of bounds, but it was a play that was able to highlight my athleticism and the potential that I could–the impact that I could make in this offense.”
Having a tight end who is capable as both a run blocker and a pass catcher can do wonders for an offense, specifically for Matt LaFleur has the play-caller, as having that element helps open up the playbook for him from a creativity standpoint.
A tight end with these capabilities adds a layer of unpredictability to the offense. Pre-snap, defenses can’t decipher as easily whether a run or pass is coming simply based on where the tight ends are lined up. Opponents are then forced to respect both the run and the pass on any given play, thus having to defend the entire field, which creates better spacing, and opportunities for not only the tight end but the other skill position players within the offense.
“I set a precedent for myself,” said Kraft, “a large goal of mine this year, I want to be the best tight end in the outside zone. That’s a huge ask, especially in our offense, and I want people to feel confident putting me out there to pass protect, putting me out there to run block, putting me out there to run routes.
“So I want to get back to playing with an edge again and I think that the next two weeks will allow me to do that. I’m going to just come out every snap and if I don’t feel like I can put my best competitive effort forward then I’m going to let the staff know and we’ll be on the same page. But as far as I’m concerned I feel great. We’re in this ramp up period right and just very excited to get back on the field completely.”
As one can imagine, even getting back to where Kraft is at now going through the individual portion of practice took a lot of behind the scenes work. While the team was out on the field practicing, Kraft was going through drills in the Don Hutson Center, often working with sleds to get used to contact again.
Off the field, Kraft would go through various exercises to make sure he was maintaining his strength on both sides of his upper body.
“Like I said, like from week 8 post-surgery to now we’ve been striking like every other day,” said Kraft. “So I’ve gotten to this point now where my strength is relative to the other side, so I just have to use my technique and my punch and the rest just takes care of itself.”
Having Kraft full healthy for the start of the season will allow the Packers to have both him and Luke Musgrave at full strength and playing their best football–something that did not occur often last season. When the two were healthy early on, Kraft hadn’t had his breakout moment yet. Then as Kraft emerged, Musgrave was sidelined with an injury.
Everything previously described about the impact a do-it-all tight end can have is magnified when you have two tight ends who can contribute in that capacity, especially with Kraft and Musgrave bringing different skill sets to the table, with Kraft very good after the catch and Musgrave able to stretch the field.
“It’s good,” said Jordan Love about having Kraft back on the field. “It’s been tough not having him out there and just trying to build on what we’re doing and where we left off last year with him. But I think getting him back in the mix and just getting a feel for how he runs the routes. It’s a different guy, different speed, so just getting him back out there is going to be very beneficial.”