A few days ago, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted that the Green Bay Packers are prioritizing a new deal for Tucker Kraft as one of their key offseason tasks.
“I would consider Tucker Kraft a big-time priority for the Green Bay Packers,” Rapoport said. “You’re talking about a guy who will probably reset the TE market.”
It’s easy to understand why. Before suffering a torn ACL against the Carolina Panthers last season, Kraft was playing at an All-Pro level. The recovery timeline will be worth monitoring throughout the summer, but there is legitimate optimism that he could be ready for Week 1.
What I found interesting about Rapoport’s quote was the mention of Kraft potentially resetting the market. Right now, only four tight ends make at least $15 million per year: Kyle Pitts, T.J. Hockenson, Trey McBride, and George Kittle, with Kittle leading the position at $19.1 million annually.
Comparing Kraft to McBride is difficult because the two win in completely different ways. McBride became the focal point of the Arizona Cardinals’ passing game during his 2024 season, averaging 6.9 catches and 71.6 yards per game. Over Kraft’s last 17 games, including the playoffs, he averaged 3.5 receptions and 49.8 yards per game.
However, the conversation changes once efficiency enters the equation. Kraft averaged 14.3 yards per reception, far above McBride’s 10.3, and was significantly more dangerous after the catch. He produced 9.6 yards after contact per reception, compared to 4.7 for McBride.
There is no denying Kraft has already established himself as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. The bigger debate is whether Green Bay would reset the market with his contract while he is recovering from a torn ACL. Still, recent history suggests the injury itself is unlikely to scare the Packers away.
Elgton Jenkins tore his ACL late in the 2021 season, and Green Bay still gave him a long-term extension the following year before he had fully returned to his previous level. The same happened with Rashan Gary, who suffered a torn ACL in 2022 but still received a massive extension in 2023. Most recently, the Packers committed to Christian Watson despite his history of hamstring and ACL issues.
Spotrac projects Kraft to land a four-year, $62 million extension, which would put him at $15.5 million per year, the fourth-highest average annual salary among tight ends. Personally, though, I think the final number could end up even higher. The biggest detail will not simply be the total value or average per year, but how the contract is structured.
Green Bay has historically approached contracts differently than many NFL teams. Rather than fully guaranteeing large portions of the deal years into the future, the Packers usually prefer to secure the player with a significant signing bonus upfront while maintaining flexibility later in the contract.
I would expect the deal to include performance incentives and a respectable signing bonus, especially given the ACL recovery. Still, they would not include the fully guaranteed structure used by some other franchises. The Packers view their tight end as a foundational player, so the total value and practical guarantees of the deal could still place him among the highest-paid players at his position.
With that in mind, Tucker Kraft should be paid like a top-five tight end, though I’d expect his deal to come in just below George Kittle’s market-setting level.
