As expected, the Green Bay Packers loaded up on playmaking talent for new starting quarterback Jordan Love during the 2023 draft, including adding two tight ends.
With a deep tight end class and a dire need at the position, we knew the Packers would likely double down. The surprise was seeing them take two on Day 2. Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft are both athletic monsters who may need a little extra polish but have sky-high ceilings.
Rookies are rarely good, and tight ends tend to take a little longer to develop than other positions, but both have the potential to be true playmakers for Jordan Love. Kraft might be the most exciting third-round pick the team has had in years. Can he break Green Bay’s apparent third-round curse and become a major player on the offense?
Brian Gutekunst has tried the “third-round tight end” thing on multiple occasions, and the results haven’t been pretty. The Packers cut Jace Sternberger halfway through his rookie contract. Josiah Deguara has played some valuable snaps as the team’s primary H-back and has shown flashes in the passing game. However, early injuries and not being in Aaron Rodgers‘ good graces have left him an afterthought as a pass-catcher. Deguara should see more love from Love, but the jury is still out.
Gutekunst’s other third-rounders have been equally unimpressive. Oren Burks was a plus athlete but never found a role on defense. He spent his Packer career as a core special teamer before walking after his rookie contract. Amari Rodgers never found a role on offense and was released after constant missteps as a returner. Sean Rhyan had about as bad of a rookie year as possible. He didn’t play meaningful snaps despite an open competition at guard and missed time with a PED suspension. Rhyan can still turn things around, but his career isn’t off to a great start.
So what makes Kraft different?
Unlike his fellow third-round tight ends, Kraft is an elite athlete, positing a 9.68 RAS. His athletic profile compares to Travis Kelce and Dallas Goedert, who have had pretty good careers. Especially that Kelce guy.
By no means does that guarantee a Kelce-like career, but drafting based on elite athletic talent is rarely a bad thing. Most of Green Bay’s misses occur when they go outside of their usual athletic thresholds. For example, Sternberger had the lowest RAS score in his draft class (5.18). Deguara had a solid score of 8.49 — at fullback. His 6.66 score at tight end isn’t as impressive.
At the very least, Kraft has a higher ceiling thanks to his athletic profile. But it’s not the only reason the young tight end can make it on this team.
Kraft brings a skill set the Packers haven’t had at the tight end position in years — actual YAC ability. He averaged eight yards after catch in 2022. Robert Tonyan had reliable hands, especially in 2022, but he wasn’t known to do much after he brought the ball in. We’ve seen plenty of Green Bay tight ends make a catch and immediately hit the turf. Kraft has this neat ability where he catches the ball and then moves forward with it!
Kraft may have been primarily a Y tight end in college, but Gutekunst thinks highly of his potential as a blocker. The general manager praised Musgrave’s and Kraft’s willingness to block and potential for versatility in both the passing and running games. Gutekunst said it will be Matt LaFleur’s job to find out what each rookie tight end can do best and put them in a position to succeed.
“They’re not pigeonholed into being a receiving tight end or a blocking tight end,” Gutekunst said following Day 2. “They both have very good size, very good speed. So I’m excited. I think they’ve got their best football ahead of them, for different reasons. They will complement each other and be a good fit with the guys we have.”
It’s clear Gutekunst believes both rookies can be complete tight ends at the next level, something the team hasn’t really had in the Matt LaFleur era.
Another strength is that Kraft can take advantage of growing with Jordan Love. As a first-year starter, we don’t know a ton about Love’s leadership style and receiving preferences. But having a young core of receivers around him means that he and his weapons can learn and grow together. Unlike with Rodgers, who requires years of lore-learning to click with a young receiver, Love and Kraft can figure things out their own way. That will inevitably mean some trial and error, and a lot of mistakes along the way. But it means Kraft won’t be on the outside looking in for targets.
Tight end coach John Dunn will have a big year training Musgrave and Kraft, but another way the team can put them in a position to succeed would be to re-sign the venerable Marcedes Lewis. The Jets may try to woo Lewis over to play with Rodgers again, but Green Bay should try to make an offer first. Lewis has proven to be an invaluable mentor and can show the new tight ends the right ways to approach the game while providing depth at the position.
Either way, Kraft joins a team with an exciting young quarterback, a savvy offensive head coach, and a need at the position. His athletic profile gives him a high ceiling, and it won’t be difficult to find snaps. Kraft has the potential to blossom into a complete tight end. And his name is a brand of cheese. There are worst recipes for success in Green Bay, and Kraft could be the breakout third-rounder the team needs.
