On Sunday, Matt LaFleur crafted a masterful game plan to help his backup quarterback lead the Green Bay Packers to their 12th-straight win in their home opener. LaFleur embraced a heavy rushing attack to capitalize on the Indianapolis Colts’ leaky run defense, going deep into his bag with exotic run concepts to get multiple rushers involved.
The Packers executed this plan thanks to excellent blocking. Green Bay’s offensive line showed that the team was wise to focus on the run game this offseason, and skillful and aggressive blocking from their skill-position players assisted them.
In particular, tight end Tucker Kraft is emerging as a force to be reckoned with as a blocker. He has picked up where the venerable Marcedes Lewis left off. Kraft hasn’t been slouching in the passing game, either. In his second year in the league, Kraft is looking like a complete tight end and a vital part of LaFleur’s offense.
Kraft got a trial by fire as a rookie last season when draftmate Luke Musgrave‘s injury forced him into more playing time late last season. Kraft responded by developing quickly, showing off his skills as both a pass-catcher and a blocker as he adapted to the NFL level. He continued that growth this offseason and quickly became a player fans had to watch.
Two games into his sophomore season, and it’s clear that Kraft has become a crucial part of Green Bay’s offense.
Kraft drew attention in Week 1 after outsnapping Musgrave 64-17, a surprising development as we expected Musgrave’s role to grow in Year 2. Matt LaFleur might vomit at the term, but Week 1 made it clear that Kraft is Green Bay’s “TE1” right now.
Kraft’s blocking gives him the edge over Musgrave. However, the Packers also targeted him more in the passing game (albeit it was one more pass), catching two of his three targets for 37 yards in Brazil.
Love suffered an injury following that game, and Malik Willis was the next man up. Therefore, it stood to reason the Packers would rely more on the running game in Week 2, especially considering how badly the Colts’ rush defense looked in Week 1. Kraft is an advanced blocker, so he retook the TE1 role in Week 2.
Kraft (along with Christian Watson) were absolute movers as run blockers on Sunday’s win, opening holes for Green Bay’s rushers to exploit.
On Jayden Reed‘s big first-quarter run, announcer Greg Olsen specifically called out Kraft’s tenacity as a blocker. “I know I’m biased,” he said, “but Tucker Kraft, he is really at the core of every one of these concepts.”
Kraft was also efficient in the passing game, catching both of his targets, including a 17-yarder on a long third down.
While the sample size this season is fairly small, Kraft’s ability to move after the catch is a boon to this offense. According to Next Gen Stats, his 11.8 yards after the catch is the second-best among all pass-catchers. When Love returns to the offense, and we see a larger focus on the passing game, he’ll almost certainly target Kraft more often.
Tight end is one of the hardest positions to learn in the NFL. However, Kraft is quickly becoming a do-it-all player with shades of George Kittle in his game. The Packers let Lewis go before last season, and they missed his ability to act as a pseudo-offensive lineman.
Kraft is quickly filling that role now. A true mauler as a blocker, Kraft relishes that part of the role.
“I’m comfortable with violence at the LOS,” Kraft told The Draft Network last year. “I want to punish defenders as a blocker. I see the emotions in their face change once I put them on their heels. I can feel their breath leaving. They exhale as I fall on top of them.”
He’s lived up to that joy of violence.
The snap count disparity between Kraft and Musgrave will likely level out as the season goes on. Musgrave played more snaps in Week 2, 31 to Kraft’s 56, and will get more opportunities when Love returns.
As LaFleur said, the snap count is more of a credit to Kraft than it is an indictment of Musgrave. Still, Kraft is the more complete tight end and his blocking is especially important with Willis under center. LaFleur wants his skill players active as blockers. Until Musgrave improves that area of his game, Kraft will continue to outsnap him.
It’s too early to call Kraft the next “Big Dog.” Still, he’s playing a similar role right now. People often forget that Lewis was an electric pass catcher early in his career.
That combination of blocking ferocity and electric YAC ability is rare. If Kraft continues this upward trajectory, he can be a star.
