Tucker Kraft activated off PUP list ahead of schedule
By Michael
Tucker Kraft activated off PUP list ahead of schedule
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was activated off the physically unable to perform list Friday, less than nine months after surgery to repair the torn ACL in his right knee. The timing is slightly ahead of his own stated timeline, and Kraft himself described his recovery as 'doing better than expected.'
Coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Kraft will not participate in team drills yet but will take part in individual sessions and walk-throughs as the Packers ease him back in. Kraft told reporters he recently hit 21.5 miles per hour running, a milestone marker for him, and added: 'With how I feel, I would say I'm gonna get all the conditioning I need in camp to start Week 1 on no pitch count.'
What happened to Kraft and why it matters
Kraft tore his right ACL on Nov. 2 against the Carolina Panthers. At the time, he had 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns through nine weeks, putting him on pace for more than 70 catches and 1,100 yards, which would have been the best marks by a tight end in Packers history. He was the only tight end in the league at that point with 30-plus receptions, 475-plus receiving yards, six-plus receiving touchdowns, and an average of 15-plus yards per catch.
His PUP activation follows almost exactly the same nine-month path that Packers WR Christian Watson took after his own ACL tear.
What does Luke Musgrave's injury mean for TE depth?
This is where the depth chart gets thin. Luke Musgrave, the Packers' other starting-caliber tight end, is on the PUP list himself with a neck injury. LaFleur said Friday that Musgrave's situation 'will not be in the short term.' Beyond Kraft and Musgrave, only Josh Whyle has NFL snaps at the position on Green Bay's roster.
Musgrave's absence does not cloud Kraft's role. It cements it. Kraft is the undisputed TE1 in Green Bay whenever he is healthy, and nothing here changes that.
Should you roster Tucker Kraft right now?
Yes, in every format. He was a legitimate TE1 before the injury, his recovery is running slightly ahead of schedule, and he is targeting full participation from Week 1. The limited practice load right now is expected and appropriate for an ACL return at this stage.
Watch how quickly his practice ramp-up progresses through camp. If he moves into team drills before the end of the preseason, that would push his Week 1 outlook to as safe as it gets. His target share in Jordan Love's offense was enormous before the injury, and nothing has changed schematically to suggest it will not be again.