The Green Bay Packers are entering the next phase of their offseason, as OTAs kicked off on Tuesday. Although these aren't mandatory just yet, players are in the building as they prepare for the 2026 campaign. Some players are rehabbing back from injury, like tight end Tucker Kraft.
Head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to the media on Wednesday and provided an encouraging update on Kraft, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
"He looks so good, you'd wanna put him out there," LaFleur said. "Hopefully he'll be ready to go by training camp or early in training camp."
The fact that LaFleur has come out and said that Kraft's rehab is going great and he looks good is exactly what you want to hear. It's even better that it sounds like there's a good chance that Kraft will be on the field sometime during the early portions of training camp.
Packers get good news around tight end Tucker Kraft
With training camp slated to start in late July, Kraft will have another several weeks to continue rehabbing his way back from a torn ACL. He suffered that injury in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers. That was a crushing blow for Green Bay, as he was the team's top receiver at the time, leading them in catches (30), receiving yards (469), and touchdown grabs (6).
Not only was he a safety blanket for quarterback Jordan Love, but he made some big plays, averaging 15.3 yards per reception. It was no secret how much the offense leaned on him, and when he went down, his presence was surely missed.
The Packers know how valuable Kraft is for this team, so they won't rush him back. That's obvious with LaFleur saying they'd want to put him on the field now, but they are holding back until he's 100 percent ready.
That's the right approach for this team, and if Kraft gets back in action this summer, that will allow him to build confidence in his knee before the season rolls around. The mental aspect when coming back from a major injury is one of the biggest areas a player needs to overcome, which is why practices are crucial. Training camp is also another level of intensity compared to OTAs and minicamps.
Those reps will benefit Kraft greatly and should have him ready to roll when the 2026 season arrives. The South Dakota State product is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he is looking to get paid. He knows the only way that's possible is being available.
Through 42 games with Green Bay, Kraft has 113 catches (154 targets) for 1,551 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.
Despite missing nine games in 2025, Kraft still finished third on the team in receiving yards and tied for first in receiving touchdowns. He's a true X-factor for this offense, and the update that LaFleur gave is very promising.
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