Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave charge into Year 3

“Pre-draft picture” is a position-by-position look at the Packers’ roster heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. The series continues with the tight ends and receivers.

GREEN BAY – As soon as the Packers selected Luke Musgrave in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Tucker Kraft scratched Green Bay off his list of potential NFL landing spots.

I mean, there was no way the Packers would come knocking after filling a major need at tight end with the uber-athletic Musgrave…right?

Well, sure enough, the “920” area code popped up on Kraft’s phone a couple hours later and the native of Timber Lake, S.D., was Green Bay-bound as a third-round pick (No. 78 overall).

What a gift it turned out to be for the Packers.

Although Kraft and Musgrave together represent a bright future for the tight end position in Green Bay, the Packers were forced to turn exclusively to Kraft in 2024 after Musgrave was lost for more than half the season due to ankle surgery.

Kraft responded with one of the best all-around seasons for a tight end in Packers history. A hammer in a relentless search for nails, Kraft pounded his way to 50 receptions for 707 yards (14.0 yards per catch) and a team-high seven touchdowns.

In doing so, he joined Paul Coffman as the only Green Bay tight ends since the 1970 merger to register at least 50 catches, 700 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and average 14.0-plus yards per reception in the same season.

The Packers feel as though the 24-year-old Kraft is only getting started. In addition to adopting a more pragmatic approach to his aggressive, never-say-die playstyle, the 6-foot-5, 259-pound tight wants to expand his leadership in 2025.

He won’t have to do it alone, as Musgrave returns to full health after playing seven regular-season games. With both choosing to stay in Green Bay after the season, Kraft and Musgrave were able to train together throughout the winter months.

For Musgrave, it was an opportunity to build back his body and regain his footing. According to Head Coach Matt LaFleur, that’s exactly what the 6-foot-6, 253-tight end pound has done after getting “bigger, stronger and faster” during his extended offseason in Green Bay.

While limited to 18 games through his first two NFL seasons, Musgrave has shown plenty of promise. In 2023, he tied Bubba Franks’ team record for most catches by a rookie tight end (34).

The…