The Green Bay Packers have locked up a key piece of their offense long-term. According to NFL Media, the team agreed to a four-year extension with tight end Tucker Kraft worth $75 million, with a ceiling of $92 million; the contract’s $18.75 million average annual value ranks him among the top three-paid tight ends in the league.
Kraft missed part of last season after suffering a torn ACL, finishing 2025 after eight games in which he caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns. The year before, he posted 50 receptions for 707 yards and seven scores. He’s expected to be available for Green Bay’s regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.
A former South Dakota State product, Kraft was selected by the Packers at No. 78 in the 2023 NFL Draft. His new deal comes as Green Bay adjusts its receiving corps following the departure of Romeo Doubs in free agency to the New England Patriots and the trade of Dontayvion Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles.
It wasn’t just Kraft who got a new contract Saturday: the Las Vegas Raiders re-signed tight end Michael Mayer to a three-year, $45 million deal, per NFL Media. Mayer’s $15 million average annual value places him around fifth among tight ends, and the agreement carries $30 million in guarantees.
Mayer had 35 catches for 328 yards and one touchdown last season and figures to see an increased role early in the 2026 campaign while All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers recovers from a meniscus procedure.
Fan take: This kind of investment in pass-catching tight ends shows how teams increasingly view the position as a core offensive weapon rather than merely a blocker. For fans, these extensions signal that tight ends will remain focal points in game planning and could push other teams to prioritize upgrading or locking up their own hybrid playmakers.
Source: www.foxsports.com
