The Green Bay Packers had a demoralizing end to the 2025 season. Injuries caught up with the team, and the year quickly fell apart, ending with a five-game losing streak that included a Wild Card Round loss to the Chicago Bears.
Now, the team is hoping for a bounce back in 2026, even with their prize acquisition from a year ago, Micah Parsons, still recovering from a torn ACL. They’ll need other areas of the roster to step up in his absence, but Tucker Kraft remains a question mark for them.
What Is Tucker Kraft’s Injury?
A third-round pick for the Packers in 2023, Kraft has quickly become one of the most dependable weapons on the entire roster. Even as the team has prioritized depth in the wide receiver room over a true superstar, Kraft has masked a lot of their deficiencies.
Last year, though, that model came crashing down when he went down with a serious knee injury. Upon later diagnosis, it was confirmed that the star tight end suffered a torn ACL, beginning a long road to recovery.
That recovery process was going to be a long road, as returning from ACL can take anywhere from six to 12 months. As a result, his status for the start of the 2026 season was always going to be a question mark. But it looks like fans are getting closer to an official answer.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
When Will Kraft Return?
Before his injury, Kraft was putting together a spectacular 2025 campaign. In eight games, the star tight end already had 489 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns to his name, ranking at number four on PFN’s Tight End Impact Metric.
As a result, he understandably plays a major role in the Packers’ future, especially under Jordan Love. Thankfully, his recovery timeline aligns perfectly with the 2026 season. On July 31, he was officially taken off the PUP list.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Since then, he has steadily progressed in practice, getting involved in more physical activities as the weeks have passed. On August 16, he participated in 11-on-11 drills and left practice with a ton of optimism.
“I’m just getting back on the horse,” Kraft said. “Now that I’ve gotten back to team reps, as I continue to accumulate reps, I hope to continue to rise my game and take myself to new heights, rather than just return to pre-injury [form].”
As a result, all signs point to him being on the field for Week 1. However, Kraft said, “[The Packers] are going to take into account my rep range probably until halfway through the season.”
So, it might be on a limited snap count, but Kraft is expecting to be on the field when the season kicks off for the Packers against the Minnesota Vikings on September 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
