Packers Taking Summer School at Tight End University

The third Tight End University will be held next week, with rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft invited to the showcase put together by Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jun 14, 2023 11:14 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With the conclusion of minicamp on Wednesday, school’s out for most members of the Green Bay Packers. Not for rookie tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, though. They’ll attend next week’s Tight End University, Packer Central has learned.

“I think it’ll be fun to hang out with some other tight ends. That’s the plan for me,” Musgrave said after Wednesday’s practice.

Organized by Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce, San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle and former NFL standout Greg Olsen, the third edition of Tight End University will be held in Nashville from June 20 through June 22.

Kittle told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that 75 tight ends had committed to this year’s event, which will focus on drill work and film study as well as diet and nutrition. Former Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis was present last year to share his years of wisdom with players young and old.

Musgrave said he didn’t have any specific questions in mind for this gathering of the top tight ends in the business.

“I think I’m just going to go and play football and have fun and learn from them, because they’ve been in the league for longer than I have. Ask questions, watch them,” he said.

Picking up on some of the tricks of the trade can only help Musgrave and Kraft as they work toward earning key roles as rookies.

“I think the best thing about it is, we got drafted to Green Bay, a team that loves to use multiple tight ends,” Kraft told Spectrum News. “They love to run the rock at the tight end. We're all in on it together.

“Every single day, we’re trying to go in there and get better at one thing. Well, if you got however many of us, six or seven of us in there, all going to practice trying to get better at one thing, we’re just stacking days. You get 1 percent better every single day, and I think that just stacks greatness.”

Tight end is one of the most complicated positions in the game. It’s not just catching passes, though that’s obviously the most glamorous part of the job, but run blocking and pass protection, as well. Over the course of a single possession, a tight end can line up on the line of scrimmage, in the slot or receiver, or even in the backfield.

Having to master all those different skills is why rookie tight ends have such a tough job making an impact.

“There’s just so much that you have to do, so much knowledge that you have to acquire in terms of you’re responsible in the running game and the passing game and you might have some protection responsibility,” coach Matt LaFleur said recently.

“I think outside of the quarterback position, you’re talking on the offensive side of the ball, the tight ends have to know the second-most of anybody because they have every facet of the game.”

After missing most of his final season at Oregon State due to a knee injury, Musgrave was one of the standouts of the four weeks of offseason practices.

“First impression of Luke is he’s going to be a great player,” quarterback Jordan Love said on Wednesday.

Musgrave’s size and speed make him a potential matchup nightmare – something the Packers haven’t had at tight end since Jermichael Finley’s top seasons.

“Good,” Musgrave labeled the last four weeks. “Been really good learning the offense. Obviously, it’s been a while since I’ve really played football, other than the Senior Bowl, so it’s been really good to get out there.”