Packers tight end has made himself at home in Green Bay

Wes Hodkiewicz

GREEN BAY Matt LaFleur's words of caution at the NFL Annual Meeting came as no surprise toTucker Kraft.

The Packers tight end has been hearing them from his head coach for the past two years.

"I don't ignore it. I listen to what I need to hear," said Kraft with laugh. "He might tell me to play a little bit more under control. For me, that just means slow down a little bit."

It's been difficult for anyone, particularly opponents, to curtail the freight train that's been Tucker Kraft since he entered the NFL as a third-round pick out of South Dakota State in 2023.

However, Kraft knows LaFleur's heart is in the right place aftertalking at last weeks league meetingsabout the 6-foot-5, 259-pound tight end picking his spots more when delivering and absorbing contact.

Kraft, participating in this week's Tailgate Tour through the state of Wisconsin, agrees that it's in the best interest of both the Packers and his own burgeoning career.

The 24-year-old became a focal point of Green Bay's offense in 2025, nearly doubling his receiving yards (707) and more than triple his receiving touchdowns (seven) from his rookie season.

He was one of only two tight ends in the league, joining perennial Pro Bowler George Kittle, to post 50-plus receptions, 700-plus receiving yards, seven-plus receiving TDs and an average of 14.0-plus yards per catch in the regular season.

Kraft worked hard for that production, averaging 9.1 yards after the catch per reception. According to TruMedia, that was the second-best single-season mark by an NFL tight end dating back to 2000 behind only Kittle (9.9) in 2018.

Occasionally, that means being the bull rather than the matador.

"There's instances where I'm on the front side of plays and I'm too aggressive," Kraft said. "But (LaFleur) is never gonna question my heart and my physicality. He just wants me to just chill out a little bit mainly just for me, so I can play the game longer."

Tight ends play a pivotal role in LaFleur's offense, and the Packers made a significant investment into the future of the position when they doubled-down during the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft.

By taking Oregon State'sLuke Musgravein the second round (No. 42 overall) and Kraft, it was the first time Green Bay selected two tight ends in the first three rounds of the same draft since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

While both have flashed, it's been a challenge to get Kraft and Musgrave on the field together. Musgrave was limited to just seven games last year after undergoing in-season ankle surgery, playing sparingly during the Packers' stretch run.

Kraft and Musgrave both spent the offseason in Green Bay, which Kraft very much enjoyed. It not only provided a friendly face around what can be a quiet facility but also someone who could push him in positional workouts.

Understanding the key role the tight ends figure to play in the offense next season, Kraft hopes to strike a balance between his tenacious on-field approach and becoming a more vocal leader.

"I really want to take that upon myself this year to lead with my playstyle like I may have done last year, but also with more words, not just headbutts," Kraft said. "Going into our two-tight end packages with Luke this year, we're gonna have to find ways to spread that wealth around because the tight end room, we're gonna be relied on heavily this year."

A native of Timber Lake, S.D., Kraft feels like he hit the jackpot when the Packers drafted him in 2023. While famously known as the smallest market in the NFL, Green Bay happens to be the largest town he's ever lived in.

Kraft appreciates the area so much he and his wife, Baylee, have chosen to live in Green Bay year-round. It's also where they'll start their family, as the couple is expecting the birth of their first child in early July.

With his roots firmly planted in Wisconsin, Kraft felt it was a no-brainer to take part in this year's Packers Tailgate Tour, a five-day event that visits schools, hospitals, businesses, retirement homes and community centers across the state. Kraft nearly participated last year but ran into a scheduling conflict.

He and his wife snuck in a couple vacations this offseason before he focused solely on preparations for the upcoming seasonwith a few pickleball games mixed in.

After back-to-back playoff seasons, however, Kraft knows expectations loom large for himself and his Packers teammates.

"It's just been a lot of buzz this offseason," Kraft said. "I feel like people are ready for us to emerge as the leaders of the (NFC) North again. That's something that we're definitely gonna have our sights on going into Week 1 of OTAs, realistic goal-setting material."