Packers' next move after Devonte Wyatt extension couldn't be more obvious

Lombardi Ave · Jul 21, 2026 10:00 · 3 min read

Packers' next move after Devonte Wyatt extension couldn't be more obvious — Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Green Bay Packers' next move after extending Devonte Wyatt is painfully obvious.

With training camp just around the corner, Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst want as few distractions as possible. The Green Bay Packers are entering the 2026 NFL season with a lot to prove, and the margin for error in the NFC North and conference at large has never been thinner.

That's why Green Bay's leadership tandem is shoring up some contractual matters before the team rides its bikes into the locker room at Lambeau Field. First, they extended linebacker Isaiah McDuffie last week, and on Monday, they splurged on a sizeable extension for defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.

Clearly, this is the time of year that the Packers are getting their finances in order. And with the team now finally out of other players to extend before the pads come on at training camp, a new contract for tight end Tucker Kraft simply has to be next on the checklist.

Packers' Devonte Wyatt extension surely means Tucker Kraft is next

Kraft is a painfully underrated tight end league-wide, and until he inks a long-term deal in Green Bay, Cheeseheads may worry that the front office is overlooking him as well. Yes, the sample size with Kraft is still fairly small, and he's coming off a major injury, but this is a complete no-brainer.

Last season, before tearing his ACL, Kraft looked like one of the best tight ends that the NFL had to offer. The Packers were also 5-2-1 and averaging 25.75 points per game with him in the lineup. Without him, they went 4-5, 4-6 if you include the playoff loss, and dropped to 20.6 points per game.

If those two simple stats don't perfectly encapsulate the Tucker Kraft effect, then I'm not sure what does. Kraft is only 25 years old, too, so if he were given a three-year contract extension, as seems to be the standard this offseason, then he'd still be in his prime at age 28 by the time that deal is up.

As it always does, though, it comes down to dollars and cents for the Packers. The top of the tight end market isn't too daunting, with George Kittle and Trey McBride making $19.1 million and $19 million annually, respectively. Kraft could easily argue that he's worth $17-18 million.

The problem is that Green Bay's financial situation in 2027 and beyond isn't conducive to adding another big-ticket player into the mix. As it stands now, according to Over the Cap, the Packers have just $14.4 million in salary cap space available next season, when Tucker's extension would kick in.

Well, could they backload the contract?

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem like a crystal clear option either, as in 2028, Jordan Love's cap number is $75.8 million, and in 2029, Micah Parsons' is $73.4 million. Those are two big chunks of change to work around if the Packers want to pay Kraft more in future seasons.

Obviously, Gutekunst could do some salary cap gymnastics and move money around, either by restructuring deals or cutting ties with players who haven't lived up to their billing. And the salary cap increases every year, which can help them uncuff themselves from a tricky spot.

But no matter how they plan on getting it done with Kraft, the Packers just simply have to get it done. After extending McDuffie and Wyatt, Kraft is clearly the next domino to fall in the Green Bay financial department. Even if it spreads the franchise thin, Kraft should be worth every penny.