Which Contract Should the Packers Prioritize Between Two Pass Catchers

The NFL offseason is less than a week away from the legal tampering period to kick off in earnest.

There is little doubt the Green Bay Packers will be more active, whether it’s signing their own free agents, or shopping for those who have hit the market.

One other piece of business that will continue to be a point of emphasis is the retention of players who are set to hit free agency before the start of 2027.

There is a plethora of players whose contracts are set to expire after the 2027 season, including receiver Jayden Reed, defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, and defensive end Lukas Van Ness.

The two most obvious extension candidates, however, are tight end Tucker Kraft, and wide receiver Christian Watson.

Both players have established themselves as focal points of the offense, and one could be left to wonder what an offense with both of them fully healthy and at the peak of their powers could look like.

Nobody was able to see that last season as Watson returned to the lineup at the end of October against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kraft tore his ACL one week later against the Carolina Panthers.

In the one game they were healthy and together, Jordan Love had one of his best games of the season, including Love completing 20 consecutive passes, tying a franchise record.

The Case for Kraft

Offense does not have to be hard in the NFL, and sometimes each team needs to arm itself with easy buttons. Guys who can create things for themselves.

When the San Francisco 49ers were struggling in the heyday of Deebo Samuel, they would simply toss him the ball and let him create offense for them.

Kraft is the easy button for the Packers. Rarely is he brought down on first contact, and short gains can turn into long ones.

If there were ever a time the Packers needed their easy button on offense, it was against the Chicago Bears as the team’s 21-3 lead evaporated and the offense sputtered.

The Packers went three-and-out on their first two series of the second half, and had a five play drive that resulted in a punt.

Oct 26, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) runs for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

What if Kraft were around to create a first down for them? Could the offense have found a rhythm sooner and put the Bears away much sooner, as they did not start picking things up offensively until the fourth quarter?

In terms of creating plays after the ball is in their hands, that’s a two-man show in Green Bay. Jayden Reed is one of those guys, but Kraft is the best player on the roster at creating yards after catching the ball.

Kraft finished second among tight ends in yards per route and eighth in YAC even while playing Even while missing more than half the season, Kraft had 126 more yards than the rest of the tight ends combined.

There is some fear of the unknown on what an offense can look like at tight end without Kraft.

Luke Musgrave was drafted before Kraft, but has not turned out to be a better player. He did not take hold of an opportunity when Kraft went down similarly to how Kraft did when Musgrave was injured two years ago.

Behind Kraft and Musgrave, there’s uncertainty as well. The Packers could spend a draft pick at the position.

The one potential concern with Kraft could be that he is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in November.

He could be back by the time training camp begins, if not shortly thereafter. The question that Brian Gutekunst has to answer is whether he’s willing to give a mega deal to a player without him showing that he’s fully removed from his torn ACL.

The answer to that question appears to be yes. Gutekunst did note that he had been in touch with Kraft and his representatives about a long term deal.

“Obviously, he’s a really important part of this football team,” Gutekunst said.

“We’d certainly like to have him around but that’ll be something we work through with his people and we’ll see what’s best for us, best for them. Certainly, the impact that he has on our football team, not only as a player but as a leader, is very important to us. We’ve obviously already been in contact with him and just let him know how we feel and we’ll kind of see how it goes.”

The take here is that Kraft is worth betting on. The market at tight end currently is a 4-year $77 million deal signed by Arizona’s Trey McBride last April.

Something in that range would be a worthwhile gamble on Kraft as well. Any concern about him losing athleticism with a torn ACL is mitigated by Kraft’s playstyle.

He’s someone who wants to run through you, not around you. That’s another point in his corner, as he brings some physical toughness to a team that has often had its mental fortitude questioned. Those two things can go hand-in-hand.

The Case for Watson

At this time a year ago, there were questions as to whether Watson would ever suit up for the Packers again. He tore his ACL in January of 2025 in the season finale against the Chicago Bears, and uncertainty was sure to follow.

Fast forward a year, Watson not only played, but he thrived in Green Bay’s offense.

Matt LaFleur does not like to designate a number one receiver, but there is little question as to how much impact Watson makes when he is in the lineup versus when he is not.

Despite the first play of his career shaping some perception about him, Watson arguably has the best hand on his team. He was charged with just one drop last season, and a drop rate of just 2.8 percent.

When Watson was on the field, the run and pass game were both better by 0.11, and 0.80 yards, respectively.

Watson’s return in late October against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a turning point for the offense, who found an explosive element that was missing from its offense.

““There’s a turning point of the year where you get man coverage and guys can’t run with him, you get zone and he either clears out the top of the coverage or gets the ball,” passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable said.

“He’s really intelligent, he’s very professional and I love the way he carries himself and goes about it. I think he’s a great teammate and he represents what it is to be a G. We talk about being a G, a Green Bay Packer, he wears it on and off the field. I always say the ball finds energy, and his energy is contagious right now in our building.”

Watson does not have a 1,000 yard season to his name. He’s never scored double-digit touchdowns, but to a man everyone in the building speaks highly of him.

Matt LaFleur could hardly contain his excitement last summer when Watson was working his way back from an injury that could have ended his tenure in Green Bay.

“He looks like a freak, like he always does, in a positive way,” LaFleur said during offseason workouts.

That was in May. Watson would eventually return just nine months after tearing his ACL.

He brings an explosive element, and is always a threat due to his size and speed combination.

The knocks against Watson are an injury history that has hampered him, but Watson did not miss any time a year ago after tearing his ACL.

He played 15 games in 2024 before tearing his ACL, and all 10 games after returning from the injury.

Hamstring injuries, which hampered him early in his career, appear to have been solved for the time being thanks to a trip to Madison for some insight.

Verdict

The obvious answer to this question is that the Packers should be doing everything they can to extend both players. Watson and Kraft do very different things in the offense, and complement each other incredibly well. They’ve both become focal points in the locker room, which included Tucker Kraft being elected a captain in 2025.

If there is one thing tipping the scales in Watson’s favor, it’s the exploding market for wide receivers. Watson is not taking a hometown discount, nor should he.

He is, however, likely to get a deal that pushes north of $20 million annually, and that could get more expensive when players like Indianapolis Alec Pierce, Dallas’ George Pickens, and teammate Romeo Doubs sign their respective contracts.

Watson’s ability to create big plays and open things up for the rest of the offense is another point in his favor.

Ultimately, the answer is both, but if the Packers are prioritizing one as Brian Gutekunst sits in his chair right now, he should be working hard on getting a deal done for his star receiver before turning his attention to the nail-spitting tight end.

The calendar has turned to March.

That means Monday is now mock draft Monday.

Using the @PFSN365 simulator, I fixed the Packers. https://t.co/lGXjYJp2JB
— Jacob Westendorf (@JacobWestendorf) March 2, 2026