Over the past couple of weeks, teams have really limited the Green Bay Packers’ ability to push the ball downfield. After games, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur repeatedly has stated that deep zone coverage
schemes are the reason why quarterback Jordan Love consistently takes checkdowns on multi-level passing concepts and why the team calls so many quick-game passes. That’s why Love has a great 70.8 percent completion percentage right now, including a high of 78.4 percent against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But here’s the problem: To make these shorter passes work, you have to get yards after the catch to avoid playing a bunch of third or fourth downs. The Packers failed at that on Sunday, when they faced 16 (!) third and fourth downs against the Carolina Panthers on just seven possessions. The team just cannot stay in front of the sticks right now, because they aren’t getting enough out of the run game and quick passing game (generally).
The one exception has been tight end Tucker Kraft, who had a historical YAC performance against the Steelers two weeks ago. Now, Kraft is out for the reason of the season with a torn ACL.
So who will step up in Kraft’s place as the team’s YAC specialist? Maybe no one! So far, Kraft has been, by far, the most impressive YAC tight end or receiver on the team. Below are the YAC rankings for the Packers at those positions this year:
- 344 yards: Kraft
- 92: Romeo Doubs
- 86: Matthew Golden
- 54: Savion Williams
- 30: Dontayvion Wicks
- 29: Malik Heath
- 23: Luke Musgrave
- 15: John FitzPatrick
- 14: Jayden Reed
- 13: Christian Watson
Collectively, all of the non-Tucker tight ends and receivers on the Packers have combined for 341 YAC yards in 2025, less than Tucker alone.
So we’re getting ready to see one of three realities for the Green Bay offense:
- A receiver somehow unexpectedly takes Kraft’s place, allowing the team to continue to play without pressing the deep portions of the field.
- A receiver doesn’t take Kraft’s place, forcing the Packers into even more third- and fourth-down situations.
- LaFleur finds a way to throw in the intermediate and deep areas of the field, even when the team is seeing spot drop zone coverages.
It’s time to see what the offensive staff has in their bag. If we’re living in reality #2, I worry about this team’s chances of winning the NFC North down the stretch.
