The Green Bay Packers aren’t wasting any time finding more depth for their tight end room following Monday’s brutal injury news about star Tucker Kraft.
According to the NFL’s transaction wire, the Packers hosted former Philadelphia Eagles tight end McCallan Castles for a workout on Monday after learning that Kraft tore his ACL in Week 9’s loss to the Carolina Panthers and will miss the rest of the season.
Castles signed with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie coming out of Tennessee in 2024, but he suffered an injury early in training camp that led the team to waive him before he had much chance to compete. He found a spot on the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad during the regular season, but he did not appear in any games as a rookie.
Castles also spent roughly two weeks with the Los Angeles Rams during 2025’s training camp, appearing in two preseason games for them but failing to haul in his only target.
The Packers also worked out cornerbacks Shemar Bartholomew and Jalen Kimber, who also may have drawn interest from the team due to an injury. Head coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that cornerback Nate Hobbs will miss a few games with his knee sprain.
The Packers (5-2-1) will have a slightly longer week to recover from their loss before hosting the Eagles (6-2) at Lambeau Field for Monday Night Football in Week 10.
Tucker Kraft Suffered Torn ACL in Loss to Panthers
The Packers sustained a significant blow to their offense during Sunday’s upset loss to the Panthers when Kraft — one of their most productive players — exited in the third quarter with a knee injury and later rode the medical cart into the locker room.
While the Packers did not have an immediate update on Kraft in the postgame, LaFleur had solemnly admitted on Sunday night that Kraft’s knee injury “doesn’t look good.”
That proved true on Monday when ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported that tests revealed Kraft had torn the ACL in his right knee and would have his breakout season cut short. LaFleur also confirmed the news later in the afternoon during his press conference.
“He’s doing as good as you could ever be doing, considering the circumstances,” LaFleur said Monday of Kraft. “Tuck’s a guy that’s not going to flinch, and that’s why we love him. He’s a helluva player, helluva teammate, helluva guy. I’m bummed for him, I’m bummed for us, but it’s just part of it, and it’s got to be that next-man-up mentality.
How Aggressively Will Packers Address TE Needs?
If the Packers sign Castles, they will likely add him to their practice squad. They could also promote their current practice-squad tight end, Josh Whyle, to the 53-man roster to add some immediate depth while they sort out their season’s future without Kraft.
Just how aggressively will the Packers work to fill the void, though?
LaFleur indicated Monday that the team is fully prepared to lean on 2023 second-round pick Luke Musgrave as their primary tight end in Kraft’s absence. It is a viable strategy, especially considering Musgrave caught fire as a rookie before an injury derailed him. They also have John FitzPatrick (seven career catches) in place as their No. 3 tight end.
The Packers, however, may want more punch at the position. That could entail signing a veteran free agent to the position, such as Jordan Adkins or Gerald Everett. They could also explore their options on the trade market before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Unfortunately, one of the potential backup plans — Ben Sims — is no longer in play. The Packers lost him on waivers to the Minnesota Vikings last week after waiving him from their 53-man roster. While it is unclear whether they planned to re-sign him to their practice squad, it is safe to assume they would have liked the option after losing Kraft.
How the Packers proceed in the next several days should indicate how confident they are in their current personnel group after losing such a major piece of the puzzle.
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