Green Bay’s margin for error just shrank. After a 16-13 loss to the Panthers, head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged that Tucker Kraft’s knee injury “doesn’t look good,” a blow that forces the depth chart to stretch at a moment when the attack already rides week-to-week waves.
Reports from NFL Network indicate the fear is a torn ACL, which would sideline the breakout tight end for the season, and LaFleur said others must step up with Kraft out.
That mandate lands alongside a frank self-audit from Jordan Love. Speaking to the New York Times, Love called the offense inconsistent, noting games with plenty of points followed by outings where penalties, turnovers, and miscues stall drives.
He framed the task simply: build on what works, clean up the negative plays, and close those dry spells that keep handing away winnable Sundays. The problem now becomes harder without Kraft, a trusted middle-of-the-field target who has been a red zone and third-down valve.
The fourth quarter in Charlotte explained the wider story. Green Bay created chances and still left meat on the bone, a blend of play design misses and execution errors that turned manageable sequences into empty possessions.
That is where Kraft’s absence compounds things. His ability to sit in zones, break tackles after the catch, and hold safeties honest gave Love a high percentage option when the picture got muddy. With him off the field, John FitzPatrick and Luke Musgrave move up, while the Packers will lean more on motion, quick game, and backs in protection to keep Love ahead of the sticks.
Kraft’s exit unfolded quickly. He left for the blue tent in the third quarter, was carted to the locker room, and was ruled questionable to return, per ESPN and NFL Network reports from the sideline. He finished with two catches for 20 yards, adding to a season line that had grown into 32 receptions, 489 yards, and six touchdowns before the setback. The hope is for clarity after imaging, but LaFleur’s tone pointed to a long road.
The path forward is not complicated to describe, only to execute. Limit pre-snap penalties, protect the football, and find drive starters that keep Love in rhythm without his security blanket. Green Bay has flashed the ceiling in bursts. Sustaining it now will require a cleaner operation and a committee answer at tight end until the room stabilizes.
