Packers Tight End Luke Musgrave Needs to Break Out in 2025

Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave faces a critical season in 2025. The former Oregon State star suffered through two injury plagued years with the Packers in 2023 and 2024. He has seen Tucker Kraft surpass him on the depth chart as the team’s starting tight end. Now, Musgrave has a chance to bounce back and re-establish himself in the Green Bay offense. The bottom line is Packers tight end Luke Musgrave needs to break out in 2025.

Packers Tight End Luke Musgrave Needs to Break Out in 2025: His First Two Seasons

The Packers selected Musgrave in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The team revamped the entire position after the departures of Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis. One round after adding Musgrave, GM Brian Gutekunst added Kraft. Like the wide receiver room, the team added young talent at tight end but lacked experienced players at the position.

Musgrave won the starting job in training camp. He started and was productive until midseason when he suffered a lacerated kidney in a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. While he returned late in the season, he was far from 100 percent.

Musgrave finished his rookie season with 34 catches for 352 yards and one touchdown. He played 11 games and started nine.

Because Kraft excelled in Musgrave’s absence and took over as the starter in 2024. Musgrave played a more limited role early on before suffering an ankle injury which caused him to spend time on injured reserve. For the 2024 campaign, Musgrave played just seven games and caught seven passes for 45 yards.

Skill Sets and Possible Roles

When healthy, Musgrave gives the Packers a rare commodity: a tight end who can stretch the field. Green Bay hasn’t had a player like that since injuries ended the career of Jermichael Finley more than a decade ago.

He also allows head coach Matt LaFleur to utilize more two-tight end formations to create potential mismatches in the passing game. That was something LaFleur did often as offensive coordinator of the Titans in 2018. Musgrave’s speed could create mismatches against linebackers and his size can be a problem for safeties since he stands 6’6” and weighs 253 pounds.

Of course, none of that matters if Musgrave can’t stay on the field. In his first two seasons, Musgrave played in just 18 of a possible 34 regular season games and has been limited in several others.

Packers Tight End Luke Musgrave Needs to Break Out in 2025: Looking Ahead

Despite Musgrave’s struggles with injuries thus far, the Packers coaching staff remains optimistic about his future. “I’m excited for Luke. He’s had a great offseason,” LaFleur told the Packers official Web site. “He’s been training in Green Bay. He’s bigger, stronger, faster. He’s attacking it the right way. I think we can all see the talent the guy has.”

The key now it utilizing that talent effectively and carving out a role in the Packers offense. Right now, the Packers offense is crowded with potential pass catchers but lacks a proven, go-to receiver.

Tight ends coach John Dunn was also excited about Musgrave during OTAs. “I think for him it’s just playing the game,” Dunn told reporters. “This is a game where you have to play it, especially at that position. And these guys are going into year three, they’re young in the position, so, just playing the game. You look at the first year, he was playing-playing-playing and getting better and better every single week. Obviously, had the setback, so for him just playing the game is kind of how you get back to that spot.”

Another injury plagued season could really set Musgrave’s career back. A productive season, even if he doesn’t win the starting job from Kraft, could go a long way towards proving he’s a legitimate NFL tight end who is capable of playing a significant role on offense.

The 2025 campaign will be a critical one for Musgrave. He knows it and is prepared to show the team his best.