Paul Bretl | 7/31/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Injuries have unfortunately been part of Luke Musgrave’s first two NFL seasons with the Packers. Out of a possible 34 regular-season games during that span, Musgrave has appeared in just 18 of them.
So now, about to embark on his third NFL season, step one for Musgrave in his continued development is he needs to stay on the field.
“I need to stay healthy,” Musgrave said. “Just be a more complete tight end, working on my blocking. So that’s what I’ve done. I still have so much more to improve upon in all facets of my game, but I do feel comfortable with the place I’m at right now, and excited to keep improving.”
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With the ankle injury from last season behind him, Musgrave has felt good throughout the offseason and during training camp.
With impressive speed at the tight end position, Musgrave can be a very difficult matchup in coverage when coupled with his size. Over the last few practices in particular, we’ve seen that on display.
During a one-on-one period on Tuesday, Musgrave was matched up against safety Javon Bullard and ran a vertical route down the right sideline, where he was able to create quite a bit of separation.
Then, in Thursday’s practice, Musgrave made two really good receptions on what were also very well-placed balls by Jordan Love. The first came on a corner route towards the left sideline with Musgrave bracketed by Xavier McKinney and Carrington Valentine.
A perfectly thrown ball allowed Musgrave to make the contested catch while getting both feet in bounds. As McKinney walked back to the defensive huddle, he could be heard saying, “Good-a** catch.”
A few plays later, Musgrave ran another corner route on the opposite side of the field. With Valentine again close by, Love made another good anticipation throw while Musgrave adjusted to the ball, making the catch.
“I think they were just both perfect examples of there’s no defense for a perfect ball,” Musgrave said at his locker. “I think both balls were delivered exactly where they needed to be for the defense. So, I think all that goes to Jordan. All that – spectacular.”
With Musgrave’s skill set, the playmaking potential is there in the passing game, but an important part of playing the tight end position, especially in Matt LaFleur’s offense, is the ability to help out in the run game.
That is one area in particular that offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said he would like to see Musgrave improve in, and in the early going of training camp, he likes what he’s seen up to this point, saying on Wednesday that Musgrave has done “a really nice job so far.”
Two examples of Musgrave’s improved play as a blocker came on a pair of end-arounds in Tuesday’s practice. In both instances, he was able to take on the linebacker, holding the block long enough for the ball carrier to get by.
“I think I’m getting better,” Musgrave said of his blocking. “Getting better. I’m certainly nowhere near where I’d like to be at some point, but I think every day I’m getting better. I hit the weight room really hard and I feel stronger this year, so I think it’s just getting more polished, better. I’m never probably going to be a guy that just drives people forever, but to be able to do a sufficient job, I think I’m getting better.”
With Musgrave missing time in his first two seasons, we haven’t seen much of him and Tucker Kraft on the field together. So frequently, the coaching staff, Musgrave, and Kraft have all been asked, ‘What can this offense do with both of them on the field together?’
The rudimentary explanation of what could be is that when an offense is able to line up in 12 personnel with two tight ends who are capable as blockers and in the passing game, there is a level of unpredictability that the offense as a whole gains with each of those players able to fill a variety of roles.
This not only creates opportunities for the tight ends, but for others as well, and can do so in both the run and passing game. So potentially, while LaFleur is entering Year 7 as head coach, there is still a part of his playbook that remains largely untapped.
“I think we both know,” Musgrave said about what he and Kraft can do on the field together. “It’s a blast for me to watch Tucker in the run game. I’ve learned a ton from him. So I think it’s kind of known that we’ve got a really good room, me and him could be really good, and then we’ve got a bunch of other guys who are also really good that we can do a bunch of fun stuff.”
Training camp last summer for Musgrave seemed to be a quiet one. There didn’t seem to be as many of those standout plays from him like I recalled above–all of which have come in just the last two practices, by the way.
But now, as is the case for any player, it’s about Musgrave building upon those early performances, so the plays described become the norm. And if that happens, then this Packers’ offense could get a major boost.
“We have a lot of confidence in that room,” LaFleur said of the tight ends. “The big thing for a guy like Luke is staying healthy. It’d be nice to have those guys fully healthy for the duration of the season. Both those guys are weapons and they have things that are within their own skill-set that are a little bit different, which is exciting.”