The Green Bay Packers have spent much of the offseason agreeing to contract extensions with their key players. However, one guy who is part of that group, star tight end Tucker Kraft, remains without a new deal, and with the season opener right around the corner, time is running out for something to be finalized here.
Throughout the week, there hasn’t been a ton of chatter surrounding Kraft’s contract status, which led many folks to assume that a deal wouldn’t be signed before the start of the season. However, according to a new report, the two sides are still at the negotiating table just 24 hours before their first game of the new year in an attempt to get across the finish line right before the buzzer.
Packers, Tucker Kraft Haven’t Given Up on Contract Extension Talks Just Yet
A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Kraft has gradually become a more and more important piece of the Packers’ offense. He was on pace to turn in the best season of his young career in 2025 (32 receptions, 489 yards, and six touchdowns in eight games), but a torn ACL cut his year short.
Kraft has spent the offseason working his way back to full health, but in the meantime, he has also been working on getting a new contract from Green Bay. While the front office has agreed to extensions with pretty much every other player you can think of this offseason, Kraft is the one guy who it hasn’t been able to agree to terms with.
There is certainly a sense of urgency on the Packers’ side, as Kraft is entering the final year of his rookie deal, meaning that if something doesn’t get done here soon, he will be in line to test the open market next offseason. This one appears set to come right down to the wire, as NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the two sides are doing what they can to agree to a new deal before taking the field on Sunday.
Tucker Kraft and the Green Bay Packers have been discussing his contract,” Fowler said on “The Insiders.” “They are working to potentially get something done on a new deal before Sunday. That is not a slam dunk. Talks have been a bit stagnant, but they are continuing to talk and should through the weekend. At some point, they have to decide, ‘Are we gonna do this, or do we need to break it off?'”
Packers Running Out of Time to Sign Tucker Kraft to a Contract Extension
There’s nothing preventing the Packers from signing Kraft to a contract extension midway through the 2026 season, but teams typically don’t like to negotiate new contracts during the year. As a result, Sunday is viewed as the unofficial deadline for these two sides to agree to a deal, which means the next 24 hours could be quite important when it comes to determining what Kraft’s future with the team looks like.
The question of whether or not Kraft will be on the field for Week 1 no longer exists, but if a deal isn’t reached before the team suits up for its season opener, his long-term future could suddenly become a big talking point. Green Bay will square off against the Minnesota Vikings at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, and all eyes will be on Kraft to see if he gets the sort of deal he is looking for.
Insider Issues Unexpected Update on Packers’ Tucker Kraft Contract Extension Talks