What Impact Will the Packers 25-Year-Old Tight End Make in 2026
The Green Bay Packers went 9-7-1 in 2025, losing in the first round of the playoffs to their rival, the Chicago Bears. Despite the Packers' third straight postseason appearance, they’ve been unable to advance past the Divisional Round. Quarterback Jordan Love has yet to receive a true top wide receiver target, becoming a part of the issue in the playoffs to get winning results, and making this season a make-or-break year for the wide receiver room. In 2025, wide receiver Romeo Doubs led the Packers in receiving, with 724 yards and three touchdowns. Love was also without one of his top targets for the second half of the season, a player not from the receiving room.
Tight end Tucker Kraft has become a valuable part of the Packers’ offense, and arguably Love’s best connection on the field. In 2024, Kraft caught for 707 yards and seven touchdowns, having one of the most impressive seasons out of all tight ends that year. Last year, before he went down with an injury, he caught for 489 yards and six touchdowns, well outpacing his previous performance the year prior. The former third-round draft pick suffered a torn ACL in Week Nine, sidelining him for the rest of the season, which included the playoffs. Fortunately, it was a clear tear that, despite causing minor LCL damage, did not require surgery on that specific part. Kraft’s presence was missed on the field, as Green Bay lost its top receiving target at the time of the injury. Looking ahead in 2026, the return of Kraft may bring better results.
The star tight end is fully expected to be ready to suit up in Week One. His progress since recovering from surgery has been excellent, and he’s been actively participating in offseason activities. Kraft saw no setbacks throughout OTAs and has been able to run around as normal without any lingering pain. He’ll be in the final year of his rookie contract, but is expected to ink a long-term extension at some point this year. Kraft was pacing a 1,000 receiving yard and double-digit touchdown season before his injury, already proving that he can stick around in Green Bay and produce positive results. The Packers are looking at a potential Super Bowl run in 2026, and now that their tight end is back on the field healthy, those odds continue to grow even more.
