Packers Training Camp Preview: Tight End Battles, X-Factor, Game-Changer

For the third consecutive year, the Green Bay Packers are hoping to find out what Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave can do together.

With the first practice set for July 23, here is our Packers training camp preview of the tight ends.

Coming and Going

Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick, last year’s players on the 53-man roster, are back. So is Messiah Swinson, who spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad. The only “newcomer” is Johnny Lumpkin, who spent part of the season on the practice squad and signed a futures deal at the end of the season.

Biggest Battle: Bottom of Depth Chart

Today’s No. 3 tight end can become tomorrow’s No. 2 tight end. So, the battle between Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick isn’t some inconsequential deal between two players fighting for scraps.

Because of Luke Musgrave’s ankle injury, Sims played 224 snaps last season and FitzPatrick played 73 after the Packers signed him off the Falcons’ practice squad. Sims is surprisingly athletic – more on that later – and FitzPatrick is an enormous man who got to the NFL because of his blocking at Georgia.

Game-Changer: Tucker Kraft

The Packers drafted Luke Musgrave in the second round in 2023 and Tucker Kraft in the third round in 2023. It’s Kraft that has emerged as the clear-cut No. 1 tight end.

Last season, Kraft played 923 snaps – fifth-most at the position. He caught passes. He ran over defenders. He scored touchdowns. He blocked enthusiastically.

Where Kraft showed signs of stardom was as a receiver. While he was only 20th among tight ends with 65 targets and tied for 18th with 50 receptions, Kraft of the 42 tight ends who were targeted more than 30 times in the passing game ranked:

– Seventh with 707 yards.

– Second with 14.1 yards per catch.

– Fourth with seven touchdowns.

– First with 9.3 yards after the catch per catch, according to Pro Football Focus. 49ers star George Kittle was a distant second at 6.6.

– First with 15 broken tackles, according to PFF.

“The standard I play with is I make the first guy miss, don’t let a DB tackle you unless he has a sideline. Those are my rules,” Kraft said last season.

In Packers history, Kraft among tight ends ranked 14th in receptions, fifth in yards and eighth in touchdowns last season. With more opportunities, Kraft should cement this status as one of the league’s best.

“Tuck’s going to be a big part of the offense,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “I think Tuck since he’s stepped on the scene, has shown who he is a playmaker and shown us reasons why we should just keep getting him the ball. I think a big part of going into this season is going to be finding ways to continue to get Tuck the ball, get him as many touches as we can in the game, because he’s a dynamic playmaker and does some really good things once he gets it in his hands.”