It's been a relatively quiet offseason for the Green Bay Packers. At least, it's been quiet compared to 2025. There haven't been any Micah-Parsons-level trades just yet.
Still, Brian Gutekunst and his staff have a major decision staring them in the face. After a breakout year, tight end Tucker Kraft is eligible for a contract extension. The Packers could choose to wait it out and let the former third-round pick prove his worth in the 2026 campaign. But they would run the risk of watching his price tag rise out of control.
It's time to give the big man his money.
Packers can't afford to waste any more time on Tucker Kraft contract extension
The 2023 NFL Draft class quietly produced a solid crop of tight ends. Players like Kraft, Sam LaPorta, Dalton Kincaid, and Brenton Strange all look like long-term starters. Outside of Kincaid, who has had his fifth-year option picked up, each player is likely to get extended in the near future.
Once those new contracts start rolling in, the price for quality tight ends is only going to increase. Per Spotrac, Kraft's market value is around $15.5 million per year, just under LaPorta's. That would make him the fourth-highest-paid tight end in the league, a value the Packers could comfortably live with.
But if LaPorta signs his deal first, Green Bay could watch the price go up for their young star. Kraft may want to be the highest-paid tight end in the league, let alone the NFC North. If the Lions dish out a big contract for their guy, the Packers will be forced to do the same.
Tight end prices have already gone up this offseason, as the Atlanta Falcons placed the franchise tag on Kyle Pitts. Our own Lior Lampert broke down how the financial situation in front of Pitts could push Kraft's contract even higher.
The tight end position could be the next to see a major increase in contract value. Based on the results of the 2026 NFL Draft, it seems like the league is starting to place a premium on tight ends who can bring something to the table both as blockers and as receivers. Outside of George Kittle, Kraft is the standard for that archetype.
Gutekunst indicated earlier in the offseason that the team has already initiated extension talks with the 25-year-old. For the sake of their salary cap situation moving forward, the Packers should make quick work of the deal.
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