The Green Bay Packers are set to open training camp in a few weeks. This is the next in a series of articles previewing the Packers position by position, analyzing the talent on the roster and discussing key questions that are facing the team as they begin preparation for the 2026 season. Today we will examine the tight ends. We will examine another position each day until the start of training camp. To read our quarterbacks analysis, click here, for defensive tackles, click here, for running backs, click here and click here for linebackers. These are three big questions facing the Green Bay Packers at tight end entering training camp in 2026:
The Projected Candidates: Starter: Tucker Kraft; Backup: Luke Musgrave; Fighting for roster spots: Josh Whyle, Messiah Swinson, RJ Maryland, Luke Lachey, Drake Dabney
Three Big Questions Facing the Packers at Tight End, Number One: How Healthy Will Tucker Kraft Be?
Tucker Kraft played at an elite level last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 8 against Carolina. Before the injury, the former South Dakota State star was on pace to break all Packers single season records for catches and yards by a tight end. In less than eight full games, he caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns. That put him on pace to become the first tight end in Packers history to gain 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Kraft announced he expects to be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2026 season without any play counts or other restrictions.
Kraft remains one of the toughest tight ends to tackle one-on-one. As a result, he specializes in making short passes into longer gains. He gives quarterback Jordan Love a solid red zone target and a check down receiver who can make plays on his own.
If he stays healthy and returns to form, Kraft has Pro Bowl potential. He could be one of the best tight ends in football with a strong season. If he’s unavailable or limited by injuries, the Packers offense would feel his loss.
Number Two: Can Luke Musgrave Take a Step Forward?
People forget that the Packers selected Luke Musgrave one round ahead of Kraft in the 2023 NFL Draft. Musgrave won the starting job initially, then suffered a midseason injury and has never gotten his career back on track.
Musgrave has the ability to stretch the field, something the Packers have lacked at tight end since Jermichael Finley. Unfortunately, he has had difficulty staying healthy and staying on his feet after catching the football.
More importantly, the coaching staff has not done a good job of utilizing Musgrave to his full potential. When Kraft was out of the lineup, Matt LaFleur continued to ask Musgrave to run similar plays to what Kraft was running. That just didn’t play to Musgrave’s strengths. This needs to be corrected.
This will be the final year of Musgrave’s rookie contract, so he has a lot of incentive to play well. He may not be back in Green Bay after 2026, but if he has a good season, he could easily set himself up for a new contract with another team.
Three Big Questions Facing the Packers at Tight End, Number Three: Who Will Provide Depth?
The Packers have solid depth here but it’s not clear how many tight ends they will keep and how much the depth players will contribute on offense. How much these candidates contribute on special teams will be a big factor in who earns a roster spot. The team is also looking for a blocking tight end as Musgrave doesn’t block well, and Kraft is a willing blocker but only a little above average at it.
The Packers signed free agent Luke Lachey to a contract over the offseason with the hope that he can be a good blocking tight end His father was part of the legendary “Hogs” offensive line with Washington in the 80s and 90s.
Josh Whyle made a strong impression at OTAs and at mandatory minicamp as a receiver and has a shot to make the roster if he can continue that performance in training camp.
Messiah Swinson returns after spending time on the practice squad. He certainly knows the offense and has good size at 6’7”.
Other candidates include RJ Maryland whose father Russell Maryland finished his career with the Packers and Drake Dabney.
The team will likely keep four tight ends on the active roster and one or two more on the practice squad. The battle for depth spots should be intense.
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