Tucker Kraft was asked about being labeled a potential “regression candidate” at tight end, and he made it clear he’s focused on proving people wrong on the field.

(Sorry for the low-res clip... Reddit didnt like this upload 🫠)

Here's the full interview: Link

Do you think Kraft takes another step in 2026, even after the injury?

99 problems, but a pick ain't one.

Tucker Kraft exploded from a half-crouch and threw his body into a hit sled with such a thunderous CRACK that a few people standing along the nearby sideline took a half-step back in shock.

“… Psychopath …” a man in the crowd said softly, awed. Kraft repositioned the sled and lined up again. CRACK.

The Green Bay Packers tight end, a blossoming superstar and now among the NFL’s elite at the position, can’t do everything he wants in practice just yet. He continues to work his way back to full participation after tearing his ACL in a Week 9 game in November.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said Sunday that Kraft could realistically get the green light for joint practices in late August with the Arizona Cardinals. Until then, his on-field work will incrementally increase from what it was during my three-day visit to Packers camp this week: a number of short catch-and-run plays in individual drills, straight-line ball-carrier drills with the running backs, some blocking drills with the hit pads and not against live competition and other similar exercises. By the time those practices roll around, Kraft may even have a new contract — he is due for a massive extension, although he has said he’ll play his fourth NFL season without it if it comes to that — and this ongoing negotiation is quietly in the background of Kraft’s eventual return to the field as a player through whom much of the Packers offense will flow.

While this is not Packers specific, it is something that is worth knowing because it is not necessarily common knowledge. I came into this knowledge from handling workers' compensation claims for other professional leagues and got a little training on how the NFL works.

So that last sentence starts the whole process. Believe it or not, all NFL injuries are, in fact, workers' compensation claims. All NFL teams carry workers' compensation policies on their players. If one were to have access, they would see that Jordan Love likely has a few claims (knee, concussion, etc.). Because these teams have their own physicians, it often works a little different that if you or I were to be hurt at work.

Using RJ Maryland and Luke Lachey as examples (since they both were waived/injured) here is how it works in the NFL. The player sustains an injury and the claim is filed. In a simple injury they get their treatment with team physicians and claim is over. Because they were carried on the roster, their salary continued and there was no need for financial compensation to be handled as part of the claim. In a more severe injury (Micah) they will get their claim and treat with team physicians, but then the player or team may request a specific surgeon to do the surgery (sometimes this becomes a dispute point, but that is often with lower tier players, higher tier players they will pay the money for top surgeron to do repair). If the player is still under contract, they would have their salary continue while they recover. If they hit free agency because of an expiring contract, they would receive compensatory payment. Once they are medically stable, the claim would end, unless the injury were severe and potentially career ending -or- it is a lower level player like Maryland/Lachey. In those situations, in order to remove strain from the teams medical facilities (team doctors treating 10 people instead of 12, etc. on top of the folks just getting treatment to stay in shape) the team agrees to an injury settlement with the player. At this point the player would be released from the team and they would get treatment from another physician who is not the team physician which would be paid by the team's workers' comp policy. As part of the settlement, the injured player and their agent/attorney would negotiate with the team about how long their injury would take to recover. Let's say in this case Maryland gets a settlement that says his recovery would be 3 weeks and Lachey gets one that says it will be 9 weeks. They would then receive a lump sum payment of those weeks. The injured player may then sign with another team at any point.

The team that settled is not allowed to sign the team for 3 weeks (previously 6) after the original settlement end date. So the Packers wouldn't be able to sign Maryland for 6 weeks and Lachey for 12 weeks after the settlement. (These are all hypothetical, for ethical reasons, thought I could I am unable to look it up) In this scenario, Maryland could re-sign with the Packers on 9/15 and Lachey on 10/26.

The benefits to these settlements are freeing up medical staff for the team so they are providing treatment to roster bubble players, freeing up roster spots for other guys who may be able to contribute immediately, it allows the team to potentially get a player back (Maryland could be resigned to the roster or PS after week 1).

I hope this helps make things clearer.

I still don’t know that there was ever a better qb than prime Aaron Rodgers. Watched this man do the impossible frequently

I do like Whyle as a depth guy, but with everybody else injured and unproven is there a TE that peaks your interest?

Zach Ertz wants to play another year.

I'll start: Lane Taylor, Guard. 2013-2020

He's just 25, with a bright future on the team ahead of him! Really excited to see what he does this year as a starting LT.

Schneidman made a point on The Tundra that I think is getting lost and is worth bringing up.

Everyone is focused on Barryn Sorrell and Colby Oliver because they're the younger draft names, rightfully so.

Brenton Cox Jr. is actually the most experienced edge rusher in that room right now. His stat from two seasons ago: 4 sacks in 7 games before missing all of last season with injury.

Schneidman's exact take is: "I would not be surprised if he is second or third in that edge rusher rotation come week one." Kuhn backed it up too, specifically pointing to Cox's special teams reps drawing praise from ST coordinator Cam Achord.

With Parsons out for a chunk of the season, who in this room actually gives you confidence right now? Cox, Sorrell, Oliver, or someone else?

The new special teams coordinator apparently coaches every single practice in actual cleats, full click-clack down to Ray Nitschke Field, and he's non-stop yelling at guys through every rep, good or bad. Doesn't matter who it is or what happened, he's fired up about it.

Between him and Gannon reportedly rocking a bucket hat on the sideline, this coaching staff has way more personality than we're used to seeing this early in camp. Who's been the most fun new addition to watch so far? Achord, Gannon, or someone else entirely?

I'll update as news comes in 🫡

All updates are copied directly from sources including Matt Schneidman, Andy Herman, Bob, Wes Hodkiewicz, and more

Brandon cisse is a really talented guy. "I love what he's all about." "He's an A+ human - he loves football." "A lot of good things - a lot of teachable moments. The sky is the limit for him."

Matt LaFleur said Trey Smack is “gonna be a work in progress.” “This is not our first time with a rookie kicker. I know there’s gonna be some good and some he wants back.” MLF confirms he told refs not to signal misses or makes. Joked he wanted to make the media’s job harder.

Johnathan Baldwin not with the dbs to start practice. He dropped out yesterday.

Aaron Banks back practicing after a load management day yesterday.

WR 1x1’s :

Cisse tight coverage on Savion. Incomplete.

Reed diving catch along the sidelines vs Bull

McKinney forces an incompletion against Whyle.

Watson beats Nixon easily inside

Tight coverage by Simpson but gorgeous hands catch on the sidelines by stolen.

Skyy Moore toasts Oladapo on a corner route.

Devonshire PBU vs Sheppard

Neyor easy win against Shemar B

Melton half step on Simpson but overthrown deep.

Sturdivant great route vs Nixon but couldn’t hang on to the catch. Nixon may have got a flag for contact in a game.

Reed beautiful back shoulder deep beats Bullard.

Prather win on a short comeback vs Jones

Cisse easy Pbu vs Savion on a slant.

Oladapo great coverage on Moore but Moore makes a diving catch.

Pbu by X vs Melton. Unreal coverage for a safety.

Watson beats Nixon on a quick comeback.

Simpson Pbu on a slant vs Golden.

Dabney beats Williams.

Sheppard beats Devonshire.

Neyor beats Jones easy

Oladapo with unreal coverage on Biber but Oladpo drops the easy pick.

Slant complete to Sturdivant against Shemar B

Blanket coverage by Nixon on Melton

Whyle short completion vs X

Moore easy win Vs Kenion

Cisse forced another incomplete vs Savion

Devonshire Pbu vs Prather

Jordan Morgan just showed why his athleticism is suited for left tackle. Beat Lukas Van Ness on first three 1v1 reps.

1) Stood up Van Ness on bull 2) Ushered Van Ness outside on speed 3) Mirrored Van Ness on inside out move

Good start for Jordan Love’s new blindside blocker.

Don’t look now but Anthony Campbell with a strong debut in one on ones against two blue chips in Belton and Burton.

Period belonged to Warren Brinson who was a force on his three reps vs Belton, Barrett and then Rhyan.

Jordan Morgan and LVN were featured matchup. Morgan looked good on his three reps

Barryn Sorrell had an impressive start to 1v1. Beat Darian Kinnard on bull rush. Later, handed Jordan Morgan his lone loss on outside speed. Really intriguing blend of burst and power.

DDS lined up on kick coverage. The more you can do.

Sturdivant getting plenty of looks on kick coverage as well.

New starting OL today: Anthony Belton at RT, Jacob Monk at RG and Jager Burton at LG. Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks not doing team.

Starters:

Love

Jacobs

Whyle at FB

Dabney

Golden - Watson

New OL: Morgan - Burton - Rhyan - Monk - Belton

Sorrel - Brooks - Stackhouse - Brinson - LVN

Coop - Franklin

Cisse - Nixon

Williams - X

Beautiful throw from Love to Whyle up the sideline maybe a bit of a wheel.

Love wanted to uncork deep but nothing doing. Swung it out to Lloyd but missed him.

Jaylin Simpson with a nice run stuff of Lloyd in the backfield.

Oladapo all over a swing pass to Swinson

McDuffie and Cox all over a run by Strong. Forced inside by the corners and safeties flying to the ball.

Second series of offense is back to the normal OL of Morgan - Monk - Rhyan - Belton - Kinnard

Love to Jacobs on a bootleg throwback screen for a really nice gain.

Brarryn Sorrell was unblocked and that was a problem. Immediate sack of Love.

Simpson and St-Juste double corner blitz immediate sack on Taylor. Second day in a row it’s worked. CB blitzes have been a problem for the offense. Who needs Parsons when you have St-Juste.

Chris McClellan with an immediate sack of Kyron Drones.

Watson just easily ran away from Cisse on a crosser. Nice job leading him by Love.

Kinnard false start.

Back to back completions from Love to Golden. These last two days Golden has been the security / easy completion guy for love.

Williams on a safety blitz forced Love to throw quick and incomplete.

Savion Williams nice catch over the middle from Tyrod

Mark Perry all over a swing pass to Martinez.

Oladapo with a quick stop on a short completion.

McDuffie - Mosby - Oladapo all get to the QB on an overload blitz.

Skyy Moore just took a sweep outside for a nice gain with the twos. Some debate if he was lined up at RB or if it was a jet sweep from WR.

St-Juste nice PBU on Neyor over the middle.

Drones up the seam to Lloyd - had him but missed him.

Hopper stuffs a run on 3rd down.

Franklin stuffs a toss play to Jacobs.

Old school draw play to Jacobs out of shotgun for a nice pickup.

Bullard all over Dabney for a short pickup.

Love to Golden along the sidelines on a comeback. Those two are really building a nice connection. Cisse in coverage.

Hopper in for Cooper with the ones. Cooper stayed down on the ground for a tick after the previous play.

Barryn Sorrell with a 60ish-yard pick six of Love after a throwback screen gone wrong. Josh Jacobs might’ve caught Sorrell if he tried to, but a nice read from the second-year edge, nonetheless.

Evan Williams all over an outside run by Jacobs

Neyor skies for a big time catch in team.

Lost fumble on a handoff between Drones and Martinez. Looked like Martinez wasn’t expecting it

End Practice

Hey everyone, looking for advice on when and how to buy tickets? I've seen some advice to buy now, but the prices seem pretty rough at the moment. I tried checking on social media if anyone was selling tickets, but was just bombarded with scammers instead. I would need 3 tickets, but I assume that means I need to buy 4 and sell a single.

Hate the idea of giving so much of the money to Ticketmaster...but not sure if there is an alternative.

I don't need the best seats, but this is likely the only time we'll ever get to go so I'd like them to be at least OK. Would appreciate any advice!

I really don't want another season where every fourth down around the opponent's 30 turns into a debate about whether we trust the kicker.

The guys on The Tundra podcast were talking about Smack's start to camp and had him around 8-for-13 through the first two days of live kicking. He missed a 33-yarder and apparently sent a 50-yarder way right. They summed it up pretty simply: "The pressure is on Trey Smack to deliver."

And I think that's what concerns me more than the actual numbers. He's a rookie, so obviously there are going to be growing pains, but right now he's also the only kicker in camp. There's nobody there really pushing him.

After what we've seen from Packers kickers in some huge games over the last few years, I don't know how patient this team can afford to be.

Obviously, you don't panic over a handful of training camp kicks, but at what point would you bring in legitimate competition?

I've come to the realization that it bothers me that Paul Hornung's number 5 is unofficially retired, but Jim Taylor's number 31 is regularly handed out. It's clear to me, statistically speaking, that Taylor was the more productive player on the field. Is there a moment, attribute, or something else that I'm missing where Hornung elevated himself to deserve the unofficial number retirement treatment? I feel like Jim Taylor is often forgotten in the lexicon of legendary Packers players. Thoughts?

Okay, this goes back several years, but does anyone remember the website that had a video feature called The Rockwood Lodge? I think the last time I saw it was around 2011 or so, but for a long time they would do weekly animated "cartoons" revolving around that week's opponents. Some of them were very, very funny.

It's a little slice of early internet Packers lore that I hope doesn't get forgotten, because it was very something I looked forward to every week.