GREEN BAY – In the wake of Monday's news that Packers tight end Tucker Kraft's knee injury is season-ending, Head Coach Matt LaFleur expressed his belief Green Bay's offense has enough weapons to weather the storm.
"That's the beauty of having multiple guys that you feel confident in," LaFleur said. "You've just got to pivot. That's part of this game is you have to adapt sometimes to the circumstances that are presented to you, and especially when it comes to personnel."
One player the Packers certainly will turn to is fellow tight end and 2023 draftee Luke Musgrave, who was beset by multiple injuries during the first two seasons of his career, which in part opened the door to Kraft's emergence.
Musgrave, who during his rookie season including playoffs caught 40 passes and scored two TDs, had three receptions for 34 yards on the Packers' lone touchdown drive in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Panthers. He jump-started the drive with a 21-yard catch on the first play.
"Luke's a guy that we've got a ton of confidence in," LaFleur said. "He definitely brings a vertical presence, and we're going to have to put him in situations where he can utilize his strengths."
As a downfield threat, Musgrave has shown he's a potential big-play target, but he doesn't have Kraft's yards-after-catch acumen nor his blocking prowess at the point of attack. Then again, few tight ends do.
Whether Green Bay's running game does anything different schematically without Kraft remains to be seen, but the passing game will certainly feature Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson that much more.
Among others, rookie receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder) is considered day-to-day, and receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf) could return to the practice field this week.
Also on the health front, the injuries to left guard Aaron Banks (stinger) and defensive lineman Colby Wooden (shoulder) are not long-term concerns, while defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness (foot) is in the same category as Wicks, potentially returning this week.
As for Kraft, LaFleur said he talked to him after Monday's MRI confirmed the severity of his injury and the long rehab and recovery road ahead.
"He's doing as good as you could ever be doing considering the circumstances," LaFleur said. "So Tuck's a guy that, he's not going to flinch, and that's why we love him. I mean, he's a hell of a player, hell of a teammate, hell of a guy.
"I'm bummed for him. I'm bummed for us, but it's just part of it, and it's got to be that next-man-up mentality."
With the Packers' not playing again until next Monday night, there's an extra day to adjust schematically and mentally to not having Kraft on offense.
But it's also the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles coming to town after Green Bay played its poorest all-around game of the season in falling to Carolina.
"That's life in this league, right?" LaFleur said. "You're going to face some adversity. Not everything's going to go your way. Certainly, we're disappointed, absolutely, but we're going to take a look at it, we're going to own it, and we're going to learn from it and we're going to move on. That's what you have to do."
