Tucker Kraft’s return gives the Packers back more than a tight end. It gives them back a way to play.
Last season, Green Bay didn’t just miss a productive pass catcher when Kraft went down. It lost a piece that let Matt LaFleur shape games on his own terms. With Kraft on the field, the Packers could lean into two-tight-end looks, force defenses to respond, and still threaten them with explosive plays because Kraft brings a level of skill that changes the math.
That’s the real value here. Yes, having an awesome player is always better than not having him. But Kraft’s injury also took away one of the cleanest tools in LaFleur’s offense.
The league has been chasing 12 and 13 personnel for a reason. More teams want the ability to dictate matchups, especially if they can run the ball well enough out of those looks.
Put two tight ends on the field, make the defense adjust with base personnel, and suddenly the offense has a chance to create easy throws and favorable coverage. In theory, linebackers end up chasing tight ends, and that’s where a player like Kraft can turn a formation into a problem.
Green Bay looked built for that when Kraft was healthy. With him available, the Packers used a second tight end on 39.91% of snaps, a rate that would have ranked second in the league over the full season. Once Kraft was injured, that number dropped all the way to 29.28%.
The production fell with it.
With Kraft, Green Bay posted .111 EPA/play out of two-tight-end sets. Without him, that number sank to .03.
For context, the Packers finished the 2026 season with a .10 EPA/play overall, good for fourth in the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens posted a .03 EPA/play and finished 13th.
That’s the difference Kraft makes. With him, the Packers were using two tight ends like one of the best offenses in football. Without him, they were much closer to ordinary.
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