The Green Bay Packers have a solid amount of offensive firepower going into the 2026 season, but Pro Football Focus believes two players in particular give Green Bay reason to feel good about its outlook.
PFF’s Gordon McGuinness singled out Jordan Love and Tucker Kraft in an Aug. 18 breakdown of every NFL team’s biggest reason for optimism. Both are coming off career years, although a torn ACL prevented Kraft from completing his breakout season.
Love finished 2025 with the highest PFF grade of his career, as Kraft was among the NFL’s most efficient tight ends before going down in November. The latter’s return to team drills this month has since provided another boost for an offense hoping to take another step.
“At just 27 years old, Love appears well positioned to sustain that level of play over the next few seasons,” McGuinness wrote.
With Kraft now working his way back into the lineup, the Packers could soon have the pairing back at full strength.
Love Coming Off Career-Best Season
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 13: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers signals a play during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Love quietly put together his best overall season since becoming Green Bay’s starter.
PFF credited Love with an 88.8 overall grade in 2025, fourth among NFL quarterbacks, while his 88.7 passing grade ranked third. His 5.9% big-time throw rate was sixth at the position, and his 2.6% turnover-worthy play rate tied for ninth lowest.
The traditional numbers also reflected his efficiency.
Love completed 291 of 439 passes for 3,381 yards with 23 touchdowns against six interceptions across 15 starts. His 101.2 passer rating marked a career high.
His connection with Kraft was becoming an increasingly vital cause of that success before injury intervened.
Kraft averaged 2.33 yards per route run, according to PFF, trailing only Dalton Kincaid among NFL tight ends. He was also second on Green Bay in targets when his season ended.
One of the duo’s best performances came during an October victory over Pittsburgh. Kraft caught seven passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, including five receptions for 94 yards during a stretch in which Love completed 20 consecutive passes.
Kraft Return Gives Packers Another Boost
GettyPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 26: Tucker Kraft #85 of the Green Bay Packers catches a pass for a first down against Joey Porter Jr. #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter in the game at Acrisure Stadium on October 26, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Kraft appeared headed toward career highs before tearing his ACL against Carolina on Nov. 2.
He finished his shortened campaign with 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns in eight games. At the time of the injury, Kraft led the Packers in all three categories.
His recovery has reached an reassuring stage just weeks before the regular season, as he returned to 11-on-11 work on Aug. 16 and caught all five passes thrown his way. That included a 12-yard touchdown from Love during the final team period, his first full-team action in approximately nine months.
“They have a plan for me,” Kraft said of his return. “Week by week, they’re gonna gradually increase my snap count depending on the full rep range of practice.”
The timing makes PFF’s optimism surrounding the duo particularly relevant.
Love enters 2026 coming off his highest-graded NFL season, while Kraft is nearing a return after producing at a level that placed him among the league’s most effective tight ends.
If Kraft picks up where he left off, Green Bay’s offense could soar right off the bat to begin the NFL season.
Green Bay Packers’ Starring Duo Named Major Reason for Optimism in 2026