Injuries are an unavoidable yet brutal reality in the NFL. Tucker Kraft was among the three offensive players the Green Bay Packers couldn't afford to lose, but he is now likely done for the season. Kraft suffered a knee injury, and there are reportedly fears that it's a dreaded ACL tear that would cause him to miss the remainder of the year. It's heartbreaking. It's unfair.
There is no replacing Tucker Kraft in this offense, whose explosiveness with the ball in his hands is second to none — his 306 yards after catch lead all tight ends. The Packers have no choice but to adjust without him, but it won't be easy. Running back Josh Jacobs put it bluntly with his postgame comments.
"I know who he is for this team and what he means to this team," Jacobs said, via Kelly Hallinan of NBC 26. "That's a heavy blow for us. A lot of guys, even in the locker room and even in the huddle afterwards, we felt that. He's a leader on this team, he's a captain, and he's one of those guys that you really love to have on your team, so that's a heavy blow for us."
Josh Jacobs has a heartbreaking reaction to Tucker Kraft's season-ending injury
The tone of Jacobs' voice said it all. This one is tough. Not just for the player Kraft is, but also the person.
He turns 25 on Monday, but it marks the beginning of a long and brutal road to recovery. Christian Watson just returned from an ACL injury that sidelined him for 294 days, and that was on the quicker end. If Kraft matches that timeline, he would be cleared to play on August 23, just weeks before the 2026 season gets underway.
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It's far from guaranteed that the Packers' star tight end will be available for Week 1 of the new season.
That's the heartbreaking reality of such a significant injury. Jacobs knows it. Matt LaFleur knows it. We all do. That's the NFL, and the Packers will have to find a way.
It gives Luke Musgrave, who many believed could've been a trade candidate before Tuesday's deadline, an opportunity. The Packers need him. It's his chance to prove himself. Beyond that, the Packers will likely need to add veteran depth.
But there's no replacing Kraft and what he brings to this team. Jacobs put it best: it's a "heavy blow" for the Packers. To the locker room. To the offense. And to the Packers' Super Bowl hopes.