The Green Bay Packers have a tightrope to walk. Their emerging star tight end, Tucker Kraft, pulled off a breakout game in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders with 124 yards and a touchdown.

Yet just hours before their Week 3 clash with the Cleveland Browns, his status hovered in uncertainty, and fans faced a mini headache on September 19. A knee tweak on Thursday’s practice sent shockwaves through the team’s game plan and fanbase alike.

Ian Rapoport broke the news that the injury looked serious but not long-term. Kraft was due for a full evaluation, making the Packers’ decision tricky. Green Bay knows better than to take these injury scares lightly, especially with receiver Jayden Reed sidelined long-term and Christian Watson still rehabbing. But here’s some good news.

On September 20th, Tom Pelissero dropped the update: Tucker Kraft is expected to suit up for the Browns game Sunday. He missed practice on Friday, but it’s no big deal. The team trusts him to bring the heat at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.

This Week 3 clash starts at 1 pm ET. The Packers need Kraft on the field. After all, he’s one of their key offensive weapons. But will he be able to perform at his full potential is a question still looming over Green Bay.

Not great timing for the tight end, who just became Jordan Love’s go-to target, but early scans hinted it wasn’t season-ending.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said after the injury happened, “It’s unfortunate, it is what it is… But more than anything he’s got to feel confident and be (medically) cleared at the same time.”

He emphasized there’s no indication the injury is long-term but admitted they’d hold off on a last call until game time. The key, LaFleur said, is that Kraft has to feel confident and get cleared medically. According to that, Kraft appears to be medically good to go.

And Kraft playing in Week 3 matters. Through two games, Kraft leads the team with eight catches, 140 receiving yards, and two touchdowns. His ability to stretch the field, especially in the intermediate zone (10-19 air yards), where he caught all 5 of his targets and scored both TDs, has made him a nightmare match-up.

It’s noticed how Kraft’s 43 yards after the catch and his knack for finding gaps have turned Green Bay’s offense into a multi-headed beast.

For a team that already boasts depth at receiver with Reed, Watson, and rising rookie Matthew Golden, Kraft has added a crucial, reliable dimension in the middle. And Jordan Love knows Tuck’s the guy to make the big plays when it counts.

Tucker Kraft is poised for a breakout year, says Jordan Love

This is what Love had to say about Kraft’s consistency and on-field prowess: “That’s who Tuck is every day. He’s very consistent right now. I don’t think it’s a secret for him to go out there and ball like he does… It’s something that we just have to keep building on with him. But Tuck is a guy who’s going to have a big year.” Love’s call is not hyperbole.

In the clash against the Commanders, Kraft showed off elite playmaking, with a career-high 74 yards after the catch. His 124 receiving yards were the most by a Packers tight end since Richard Rodgers’ 146 yards in 2015.

Coach LaFleur praised Kraft’s all-around game and off-field leadership, saying, “He’s a guy that approaches the game the right way. I can’t say enough great things about Tuck, and just the growth we’ve seen from him from the time he got here. But it’s not only him on the football field. It’s every facet of life, I would say. He’s a real leader for us.”

Drafted in the third round in 2023 out of South Dakota State, Kraft quickly moved past a modest rookie season to become a key weapon by 2024. He racked up 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns that year.

He ranks near the top in yards after catch per reception and touchdown receptions among NFL tight ends. Green Bay is hoping Kraft’s big year keeps rolling. And that this knee scare will just be a temporary bump in an otherwise explosive season.