Packers Star Tight End Makes Big Return to Practice After Long Road to Recovery

The Green Bay Packers held their 12th training camp practice, a 2-hour, 10-minute session that saw star tight end Tucker Kraft make a significant return to 11-on-11 drills.

Kraft, who tore his right ACL nine months ago, caught multiple passes including a touchdown during the practice. Rookie kicker Trey Smack continued his strong camp, going 4-for-4 in practice.

Position battles are heating up at guard and cornerback, with Jager Burton and Jacob Monk vying for starting spots, and Keisean Nixon competing with Benjamin St-Juste.

However, quarterbacks Jordan Love and Tyrod Taylor had a rough day, combining for three interceptions. Several players remain sidelined with injuries, including Lukas Van Ness and Josh Jacobs, while Aaron Banks returned.

Read More: President Trump signs executive orders targeting birthright citizenship despite Supreme Court ruling.

The team also saw a couple of scuffles break out during the intense practice.

Coach Matt LaFleur said before practice that Kraft could be in for a treat today, and the tight end did not disappoint, catching passes on stop routes and slant routes. Kraft's return to full team drills is significant, coming nine months after his ACL injury.

Kraft had been doing only individual drills in practice the first two weeks of training camp but said he has no hesitations about going full bore. He credited general manager Brian Gutekunst with helping him establish a mindset of consistency through a slow ramp-up.

For Kraft, it's been a long road to recovery after tearing his ACL against Carolina on November 2 last year. However, he started all eight games he played in 2025 and posted impressive numbers, including 32 receptions, 489 receiving yards, and six touchdowns.