It’s been a long, brutal road to get here, but two years later, the Green Bay Packers are back in a spot where Luke Musgrave is their starting tight end again. The former second-round pick who was a Day 1 starter in Green Bay has had awinding path to get back to this spot.
In 2023, Musgrave started the first 10 games for the Packers as a rookie. In those 10 games, he had 33 catches for 341 yards, on pace for 56 catches and 580 yards as a rookie tight end. That would have been an extremely productive start for a position that is historically tough on rookies.
Unfortunately, his season basically ended after 10 games following a hard fall thatlacerated his kidney. He returned for the final game of the season and the playoffs, but played limited snaps.
However, the limited snaps weren’t just because he was returning from injury. It was also because Tucker Kraft, who had a more typical slow start for a rookie tight end, came in after Musgrave’s injury, took over that job, and never looked back. Kraft carried that momentum and turned into the breakout tight end we saw in the first eight games this season.
Still, Musgrave’s fall isn’t solely due to Kraft’s rise. Last season, Musgrave came into the season as the clear No. 2 tight end on the depth chart. However, in Matt LaFleur’s offense, you need to be able to block in two-tight-end sets, and that is not Musgrave’s style.
The Packers are better off using Musgrave as a power slot, middle-of-the-field, intermediate, and vertical threat in the passing game. But the Packers no longer needed that, so they didn’t use him like a typical TE2.
Through the first four games of 2024, Musgrave had just four catches on six targets for 24 yards. Then he tore a ligament in his ankle during the Week 4 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and it became a lost season.
Damn… was becoming the face of this new era of TEs (Bowers, McBride, LaPorta, Warren, etc etc). And an NFL Y-TE skillset that isn't easily replaceable/findable for this Packers offense – critical spot for LaFleur's scheme https://t.co/bWavWCQBWw
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 3, 2025
Now that Kraft has fully ascended to stardom, and this offense has become run-heavy, the Packers have relegated Musgrave to an extremely limited role. He amassed just nine catches for 88 yards in the first eight games this season.
However, with Kraft’s injury, it opens up a gaping hole for a pass-catching tight end to come in and take over. Not many tight ends possess Musgrave’s talent and ability as a pass-catcher. He’s afreak athlete with unique vertical speed for a 6’5”, 250 lb. player.
We’ve seen him be productive in this role before, but it’s one that few other players can fill. It is now or never for Luke Musgrave to re-establish himself as a starting tight end in the NFL, because the offense will need him now more than ever.
Some reason for optimism.
Luke Musgrave has more talent in his pinky finger than 90% of the TEs in the league.
Does that mean jack squat? I don't know, but we are going to find out – and for the first time since his rookie season, he will be the featured TE. pic.twitter.com/deWA0kLMFT
— Jacob Morley (@JacobMorley) November 3, 2025
If this works out and Musgrave can find his early 2023 form, it could change the geometry and philosophy of the Green Bay offense. It would force LaFleur to go more pass-heavy and target the intermediate part of the field, which the Packers have ignored for much of this season.
Green Bay’s offense has been a roller coaster the past several weeks. There are times the offense is humming, and it looks like it’s the best in the league. Then there are other times when things look difficult. Still, they can move the ball consistently despite it, because the talent is undeniable. However, everyone is left wanting more.
The Packers didn't punt and scored 13 points
— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) November 2, 2025
Many of the grievances stem from LaFleur’s insistence on establishing the run game and the short passing game, even thoughneither has worked well this season. Still, it clicked when they targeted Tucker Kraft because of his unique run-after-the-catch ability.
Without Kraft, they lose an outstanding blocking tight end and their best – and really only – run-after-the-catch (RAC) threat. He had more RAC yards than every other Packers receiver and tight end combined.
Now they’re left with an offensive line that hasn’t been able to run block, a starting tight end that isn’t a great blocker, and a cast of pass-catchers that aren’t run-after-the-catch threats.
The offense needs to change, and that starts with a change in the philosophy.
Green Bay’s offense played its best football in Weeks 1 and 2, targeting the intermediate part of the field. Per Nathan Marizon, the Packers targeted the intermediate part of the field 30% of the time in the first two games and behind the line of scrimmage just 11% of the time. That’s flipped to just 13% targeting the intermediate part of the field and 25% behind the line of scrimmage in the last six games.
25% of Jordan Love's pass attempts over the last 6 games have been behind the line of scrimmage, 2nd highest behind only Kyler Murray.
Only 13% of his pass attempts in that span have been in the intermediate area (10-19 yards), which is the 3rd lowest.
— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) November 3, 2025
Along with that, Love has been elite targeting that area of the field. He’s completed 69% of his passes for five touchdowns and a 151.3 passer rating.
want me to make this worse? i can make this worse. jordan love has completed 69% of his passes for five touchdowns, no interceptions and a 151.3 passer rating when targeting the intermediate area (10-19 yards) of the field https://t.co/F8QrXwaNKu
— zach jacobson (@zacobson) November 3, 2025
Why did it switch after the great start? I don’t have a good answer for that. The whole offense doesn’t make sense to me. Green Bay had a -9.8pass rate over expected last week, the third-lowest, ahead of only the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders. They’re second in net yards per pass and 24th in yards per rush, yet they are fifth in rush attempts and 20th in pass attempts.
The #Packers offense ranks:
5th in rushing attempts
24th in rushing yards per attempt
20th in passing attempts
2nd in net yards per pass
— Bruce Irons (@BruceIronsNFL) November 3, 2025
The Packers need to make a change. Fortunately, with a change coming at tight end, it could force Matt LaFleur’s hand.
Musgrave’s best ability is stretching the defense vertically up the seam and horizontally with crossers. With Musgrave now more in the mix and Christian Watson becoming more involved, and Matthew Golden‘s role hopefully expanding as we get further into his rookie season, they have three guys with growing roles who excel in the intermediate area of the field. It’s a perfect opportunity for LaFleur to re-unlock that area that has provided great results for the offense this season.
These are the kinds of plays that made everyone so excited about Luke Musgrave.
He can be a reliable MOF pass catcher on 3rd down, but he can also create down the field.
Extend to make the catch and take a shot. pic.twitter.com/PEuLjPmojv
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) November 5, 2025
Using Musgrave the same way as Tucker Kraft would be a disservice to him and this offense. However, we’ve seen this with other guys, such as Matthew Golden, who projected as a player who would excel in the intermediate part of the field and didn’t project to be an NFL RAC threat.
Still, the Packers have consistently put him in spots where they ask him to be one, and it hasn’t gone well. LaFleur needs to learn from his deployment of Golden and reconfigure this offensive philosophy to fit the changing personnel.