Pro Football Rumors
Tucker Kraft has made considerable progress in his recovery from a torn ACL over the course of the offseason. Full participation in Week 1 has long been a goal in his case.
As of last month, Kraft was seen as a candidate to begin training camp on the active/PUP list. That may not wind up being the case, however. As Matt Schneidman of The Athletic writes, Kraft might be able to participate in camp at the beginning, depending on how the final stages of his rehab process play out.
Notably, Schneidman adds it would not come as a surprise if a record-breaking extension agreement were to be in place by the time Kraft is next on the field. The tight end market has been labeled as one which could be in store for a jump this summer. Kraft and fellow 2023 draftee Sam LaPorta in particular could soon move the bar for TE compensation.
On that note, executives who spoke with SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora predict Kraft will indeed be the next domino to fall at the position with respect to a big-money deal. The Falcons (Kyle Pitts) and Jaguars (Brenton Strange) recently worked out long-term extensions with their top tight ends. They are not coming off a major injury as Kraft is, but the 25-year-old’s production prior to his ACL tear has still resulted in high expectation from a price standpoint. As La Canfora notes, Green Bay’s decision to commit new deals to receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed this spring despite their own injury histories is seen as an indication of confidence in Kraft returning to his pre-injury form as one of the league’s top tight ends.
The former third-rounder saw his production take a notable jump in 2024 compared to his rookie year. Kraft was enjoying another step forward last season, averaging 61 yards per game and scoring six touchdowns in eight contests prior to his injury. One year remains on his rookie deal, so Green Bay could elect to wait until Kraft is back on the field before attempting to finalize an extension. Per La Canfora, though, the key question in this case surrounds the terms of a deal rather than the matter of whether or not it will be worked out shortly.
The tight end market is currently topped by George Kittle at an average of $19.1MM per year. Given their ages, the likes of Pitts, Strange and Trey McBride are more relevant comparables regarding a long-term extension. McBride secured $19MM in average annual value on his 2025 Cardinals deal; that pact contains $32.5MM fully guaranteed. Kraft could very well look for similar (if not better) terms on a second Packers contract, one which may be finalized in the coming weeks.
