The Packers have already shown they’re willing to reward their core, and Tucker Kraft looks like the next name in line.
Green Bay recently handed WR Christian Watson a lucrative extension and then locked up DT Devonte Wyatt on a new three-year deal worth $57 million. With Micah Parsons and Matthew Golden in place as key pieces on both sides of the ball, general manager Brian Gutekunst is clearly working to keep this roster intact for the long haul.
That makes Kraft the obvious next priority.
The tight end is due for a contract extension, and waiting only raises the price. He also gave the Packers plenty to think about before his season ended.
Kraft finished with 32 catches on 44 targets for 489 yards and six touchdowns, even though he missed nearly half the year. At the pace he was on, he was tracking toward nearly 1,000 yards and more than ten touchdowns before the injury.
There’s no way around the risk that comes with a player coming off a major injury like a torn ACL. Some guys need more than a year to get all the way back to full strength, especially when mobility and explosiveness are part of the job description.
But Kraft has already become Jordan Love’s safety net and a trusted target when the game tightens up. Third down, fourth down, the red zone - he kept showing up. He’s also carved out a reputation as a true YAC specialist, and he’s easily the Packers’ best option at tight end.
The injury is his first major one, which matters here. If Green Bay was comfortable giving Watson a long-term deal, there’s a strong case for doing the same with Kraft.
And the timing matters, too. On paper, Matt LaFleur should have all the pieces he needs for an explosive offense.
In reality, Watson has dealt with injuries every season, and Matthew Golden may not be ready to break out after a disappointing campaign. That only puts more on Kraft’s plate.
The tight end market is climbing, and Sam LaPorta could land a big extension soon. The longer the Packers wait, the more expensive Kraft becomes. They’re going to extend him anyway, so the smart move is obvious: get it done now, before LaPorta’s deal starts shaping the market.
In Other News...
Packers Optimism Feels Real But One Big Question Still Looms
The optimism around Jordan Love and the Packers is easy to understand this time of year. FanDuel has Green Bay at 9.5 wins for 2026, a number that suggests the oddsmakers still see a team with real playoff-caliber potential, even after an offseason that changed the shape of the passing game. The Packers will ask more of a receiver group built around Tucker Kraft and Christian Watson, with the kind of depth and youth that can make projections look either shrewd or shaky by midseason.
Loves next step may end up deciding which way it goes. The quarterback signed his four-year extension in 2024 and enters the new season with the spotlight on the details of his game, especially as Green Bay gets ready to open against the Vikings. If the passing game settles in quickly, the over starts to look reachable. If it does not, the question hanging over this team will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Are Running Out Of Time To Solve One Major Problem
The Packers head into 2026 training camp with a pass-rushing question hanging over the defense, and it is not a small one. Green Bay has already reshaped its edge group this offseason, and the uncertainty around Micah Parsons only sharpens the need for another proven source of pressure before the opener arrives.
Von Miller has emerged as a logical name to watch because he still showed he can get to the quarterback in Washington, and his rsum fits what the Packers are trying to build under Jonathan Gannon. Gannon has worked with sack-heavy defenses before, which is part of why Miller makes sense on paper, but Green Bay still has to decide whether to act quickly enough to keep the pass rush from becoming a real early-season problem. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Fans May Not Guess Who Claimed The No 20 Crown
The Packers have had plenty of memorable players wear No. 20 over the years, but the conversation always seems to circle back to Johnny Blood. He split his Green Bay career into two stints from 1929 to 1936 and left a mark that went well beyond a single jersey number, helping define an era when versatility mattered as much as star power.
Bloods case is built on more than nostalgia. He was a dangerous receiver for the Packers in 1931, a rare kind of threat for his time, and his impact on both sides of the ball helped separate him from the rest of the No. 20 crowd. Add in his place in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Packers Hall of Fame, and it is easy to see why his name still carries so much weight whenever this number comes up. [Read more 🡒]