It has been quite the rollercoaster few days for Tucker Kraft, but the Green Bay Packers appear to have received good news about his status for Week 3.
Everyone held their breath when reports emerged that Kraft had suffered a knee injury during practice and required further testing. The initial word was that they had confidence Kraft avoided a long-term injury, but he missed practice on Friday and received a questionable tag for this week's game against the Cleveland Browns.
Fortunately, and to our surprise, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Kraft is "expected to play" against the Browns.
Packers TE Tucker Kraft is 'expected to play' vs. Browns in Week 3
It's the best-case scenario, with Kraft expected to play a week after posting a career-best 124 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Washington Commanders.
Phew. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions. When the initial report indicated Kraft would require tests on his knee, we all feared the worst. Even the optimism that it wasn't a long-term injury didn't help too much, with the possibility of Kraft missing a few weeks seeming likely.
Missing Friday's practice only elevated those concerns. But just like that, he's good to go.
It's unclear how close Kraft is to 100 percent, but the Packers wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. Presumably, the testing showed no concerns, and the additional day of rest has helped Kraft prove he's ready to play.
With Jayden Reed out indefinitely after requiring surgery to fix a broken collarbone and a Jones fracture in his foot, the Packers may need to lean on Kraft early and often against the Browns.
It sure helps to have a former second-round pick in reserve with Luke Musgrave, and it won't be surprising if he sees an increased target share if Kraft isn't at 100 percent.
Kraft gave us all a scare earlier this week, but the expectation is that he will play on Sunday.