The Green Bay Packers are using the next couple of weeks to make their final push ahead of the 2026 season. They extended Christian Watson and Jayden Reed this offseason, which shows they believe that these two are building blocks going forward.
Tight end Tucker Kraft is another major piece to the puzzle, and he has offered a big update on his recovery from a torn ACL. When speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kraft revealed that he plans on suiting up in Week 1 without a pitch count, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. He continued to express how great he feels.
"I'm doing good. I'm doing better than expected. I really attribute it to the time and commitment I put into my rehabilitation early on, the first three months. That really has catapulted me to where I am now. I feel great. My quad looks great. Swelling is minimal to none."
For any fan seeing this news, that's exactly the kind of update you would want to hear from one of your best players returning from injury.
Tucker Kraft gives a great update for Packers season opener
Kraft tore his ACL in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, and that was a gut punch to the team. He was one of their best offensive playmakers, but he ended up getting sidelined. You never know how a player is going to respond to the injury, but it looks like he's in a great place mentally and physically.
Even though he expects to start training camp on the PUP list, he plans to gear up and be on the field in the near future with his normal workload. The team will ease him into things during camp, allowing him to get back up to speed. Nonetheless, he is confident that he will be on the field against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1.
It's fantastic to see that he didn't suffer any setbacks during rehab or need another knee surgery. New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers had to undergo a second knee surgery to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness. That is one example of a player who also suffered a torn ACL but had some mishaps in an attempt to get back.
Instead of dealing with that, Kraft is already telling reporters in June that he'll be ready in September. Being on the field against a division rival is always important, but it's Kraft's impact that can't be understated.
In 42 games (33 starts) with Green Bay, he has recorded 113 catches (154 targets) for 1,551 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. In all three seasons thus far, he has averaged at least 11 yards per reception, displaying his ability to make plays downfield.
Before going down, it was evident he was Jordan Love's go-to option. Kraft was leading them in catches (30), receiving yards (469), and touchdown grabs (6). Having him back on the field for the entire year would be huge for this team. While there are a few hurdles he needs to clear, it sounds like Kraft will be suiting up in Week 1, and that's great news for everyone in Green Bay.
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