Packers are reportedly 'motivated' to make Tucker Kraft contract decision

Packers are reportedly ‘motivated’ to make Tucker Kraft contract decision originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Green Bay Packers lost Romeo Doubs in free agency and traded away Dontayvion Wicks, consolidating their receiver corps to Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden. Tight end Tucker Kraft, returning from injury, should also play a big role.

Jordan Love and the Packers offense will use these four receivers plenty this upcoming season. But, regarding Kraft, there is one major off-field question hanging in the air: his long-term contract extension and what the plan for Green Bay is.

Fortunately for Packers fans, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Green Bay’s front office is reportedly “motivated” to sign Kraft to a long-term deal despite their idle contract talks leading up to the regular season.

Packers are ‘motivated’ to sign Tucker Kraft to long-term deal

“The Packers appear motivated to reach a deal with Kraft,” Fowler reports. “While talks are idle right now, they certainly aren’t dead, and a lot can happen over the next 10 days.”

Green Bay and Kraft might try to get a contract extension done before they begin the season on September 13, so if they can’t agree to a deal soon, a long-term contract might have to wait a bit.

But Packers fans should feel confident in a long-term deal getting done, as the Packers reportedly are motivated to sign him to a long-term deal. The only questions are how much and when the deal will happen.

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With Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders seeming likely to reset the market next offseason at tight end, Kraft might wait to sign a new deal until then, or ink a lofty contract now that gets close to Trey McBride’s $19 million per-year deal.

The Packers shouldn’t be forced to spend more than $19 million per-year on Kraft, even though the tight end market will likely increase significantly in the near future.

Still, a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid tight ends, while it’ll be expensive and a risk, would be worth it for the Packers.

Kraft is an incredible tight end when healthy, and is someone the Packers should keep long-term. That’s seemingly within their plans, with this report from Fowler indicating they’re motivated to sign him to a long-term deal.

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