In the end, the Packers were rumored to have made calls about potential additions in place of tight end Tucker Kraft at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, after Kraft was injured in Sunday’s loss to Carolina. But prices were high across the league, and with Luke Musgrave in line to take a step up, Green Bay did not want to pay those prices.
At various times on Tuesday, with the NFL’s trade deadline looming, the Packers were linked to conversations about trades for the likes of Michael Mayer from the Raiders and David Njoku of the Browns, but nothing got seriously close to being consummated. That, of course, has been the standard for GM Brian Gutekunst, who has never seen the trade deadline as a useful means of adding players to the roster.
Since he took over as the Packers’ front-office shot-caller in 2018, Gutekunst has not added a significant player via trade at the deadline.
But despite that, the Packers were still busy on Tuesday.
Packers Made Moves on NFL Trade Deadline Day
The transaction wire was busy at Packer headquarters, as Kraft was officially placed on the injured reserve as he prepares for ACL surgery on his knee. He won’t be replaced via trade, but the Packers did add Josh Whyle to the 53-man roster, giving the team a third-year veteran who was a fifth-round pick of the Titans from Cincinnati in 2023.
Whyle had 37 receptions for 342 yards in two seasons before he was let go by Tennessee this summer, singing on with the Packers practice squad in August. He joins tight end John FitzGerald behind Musgrave on the depth chart.
The Packers also added Aaron Mosby, a defensive lineman, to the 53-man roster.
They added four players to the practice squad, including former Green Bay practice-squadder and active roster linebacker Kristian Welch. Receiver Michael Woods and tight ends McCallan Castles and Drake Dabney also joined the practice unit.
Luke Musgrave Next Man Up for Packers
While the Packers were linked to tight end conversations at the trade deadline, they’ve also preached confidence in incumbent second-round backup Luke Musgrave, who has long had potential but was pushed to the background with Kraft’s meteoric rise.
Musgrave had health issues in his first two seasons, and entered 2025 with 41 catches for 397 yards in 18 games. He has had nine catches and 88 yards in eight games this season, including three catches for a season-high 34 yards in place of Kraft on Sunday.
“Luke’s a guy we’ve got a ton of confidence in,” coach Matt LaFleur said, “and I think his career got started off on, you know, faced a little adversity being in and out of the lineup with some of the injuries. But what he does bring is, he definitely brings a vertical presence. And we’re going to have to put him in situations where he can utilize his strengths.”
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