Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst provided an update on the state of the roster heading into a pivotal offseason for his regime. And by the sound of it, star tight end Tucker Kraft figures to be a massive piece of the puzzle in 2026 and beyond.
Gutekunst told reporters that the Packers have already reached out to Kraft's representation regarding a potential contract extension. Locking up franchise quarterback Jordan Love's go-to guy is ostensibly at or near the top of the club's offseason to-do list, and understandably so.
However, the negotiations paint a bleak picture of what may lie ahead for another member of Green Bay's 2023 draft class: Luke Musgrave.
The writing is on the wall for Musgrave, who was taken 36 picks ahead of Kraft. It feels like only a matter of time before the Packers move on from the former entirely.
Tucker Kraft extension chatter effectively marks the end of the road for Luke Musgrave with the Packers
Like Kraft, Musgrave is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. Yet, unlike his positional counterpart, there have been no signs of a payday for the latter — it's been quite the opposite, in fact.
You only get so many chances in the NFL, and Musgrave has seemingly blown one too many in Titletown. The Packers appeared to give him one last shot after Kraft suffered a season-ending ACL tear in November, albeit to no avail.
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Musgrave was phased out of the Packers' offense midway through the second game following Kraft's devastating injury. That unofficially marked the beginning of the end; Green Bay all but showed its hand.
Across nine contests without Kraft in 2025, Musgrave caught 15 passes for 164 scoreless yards while logging a 49 percent offensive snap share rate. The Packers completely changed their approach to scoring during this stretch. They went from funneling the team's passing attack through the tight end position to leaning on their deep wide receiver room.
Considering Musgrave carries a palatable $2.69 million cap hit, he likely won't be released. The Packers don't get much salary relief for cutting him either. Nevertheless, the Oregon State product profiles as an intriguing trade candidate because of his age (turns 26 in September) and status as a second-round selection.