Matt LaFleur: Tucker Kraft could participate in joint practice with Cardinals
· Yahoo Sports
Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was able to ride a bike to the practice field — and to practice on it — on Friday, his first work since suffering a torn ACL on November 2.
With the primary goal having him ready to go for Week 1, Kraft could be back in the mix when the Packers engage in a joint practice with the Cardinals on August 26.
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Coach Matt LaFleur said it's a realistic target.
"I mean, he's got to hit all the benchmarks along the way, and if that's the case, then absolutely," LaFleur told reporters on Sunday.
So far, LaFleur is happy with what he has seen from the third-round pick in the 2023 draft.
"I think we're obviously taking it slow with him because he's such an important player to us," LaFleur said. "But, yeah, I think he handled everything great."
Kraft is in the last year of a rookie deal that pays him $3.6 million in 2026. He has said he has no qualms about practicing without the long-term security he has earned.
And while LaFleur praised Kraft for doing so, here's the inescapable reality — if Kraft gets injured again, he won't get the kind of multi-year deal he'd prefer to receive. At that point, the Packers would press the brakes, possibly with a one-year deal for 2027, until Kraft would be able to demonstrate that he's back to form.
Of course, Kraft may feel compelled to do that now, given his 2025 knee injury. Which requires Kraft to take a calculated risk aimed at securing his reward. Ideally for Kraft, he'll get it before Week 1.