The Packers’ tight end depth chart is presently topped by two rookies, Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic (subscription required), Musgrave is likely to start the season as Green Bay’s TE1.
Given that Musgrave was a second-round choice while Kraft was a third-round selection, that does not come as much of a surprise. What is perhaps more notable is the fact that the Packers are apparently content to open the year with two raw talents, particularly since the blocking acumen of both players is currently unknown.
A quality blocking TE is a key component of head coach Matt LaFleur‘s offense, which is why the team continued to employ Marcedes Lewis — one of the game’s best blockers at the tight end position — during LaFleur’s four-year tenure in Green Bay. Lewis, 39, has expressed a desire to become the first tight end to play an 18th season, but the Packers are not expected to re-sign him, Perhaps the club’s views in that regard will change if Musgrave and Kraft should struggle to find their footing as blockers.
What both players definitely have is pass-catching upside and elite athleticism. As Schneidman notes, the Packers have not had an uber-athlete at tight end since Jermichael Finley was in the prime of his career, and with a bevy of talented but unproven youngsters at the top of the wide receiver depth chart, Musgrave and Kraft will have an opportunity to make their mark in the passing game right away.
Musgrave, an Oregon State product, did not deliver prolific stats with the Beavers, with his 304 receiving yards in 2021 representing his best single-season mark. But an early-season knee injury cut his senior year short, and he impressed at the Senior Bowl. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated him as this year’s No. 31 overall prospect.
Kraft, meanwhile, put up terrific numbers in his final collegiate season, though that came against FCS competition, The South Dakota State alum caught 65 balls for 780 yards and six TDs en route to consensus FCS All-American and All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors.
In addition to ushering in the Jordan Love era at quarterback and parting ways (presumbaly) with Lewis, the Packers also bid adieu to tight end Robert Tonyan and receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb this offseason. The extent to which Green Bay’ youth movement succeeds will have a major impact on the Wisconsin futures of Love and LaFleur in particular.
If ether of the 2 Gute just drafted do anything this season, they’ll have already done more than all of his previous TE draftees.
This just makes that 2020 draft look that much worse. Deguara probably does not have long on the roster, given that he does not offer enough as a blocker to be worth an extension (in my very unprofessional opinion).
Dillon was a great pick. Runyan was a solid pick. If Love blossoms, it’ll be great. But this newsikely narrows down the utility of another player remaining from that draft. The good news, though, is that Musgrave looks like a potential stud. It’s too bad that Rodgers didn’t get him during his time, but Love will certainly appreciate a good safety net. I’m looking forward to seeing Musgrave in LaFleur’s offense, which would really benefit from consistency at that position.
I have to go look to see if CBS sports had him on the preseason all rookie team
I do not understand why they drafted Musgrave in the second round. On top of that, they drafted Musgrave over Kraft and then ended up with Kraft in the third. Doubling up on TE is insane. They could have gotten Kincaid at 15 and no one would have knocked the pick and gotten something in the 2nd