The Packers and tight end Tucker Kraft have agreed to a four-year contract extension with a base value of $75 million, one day before the season opener, sources told ESPN. The deal could be worth up to $92 million and includes a $26.5 million signing bonus, sources said.
Kraft's deal carries an average annual salary of $18.75 million, making him the third-highest-paid tight end. He will receive $31.5 million in Year 1, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Kraft, 25, is coming off a torn ACL in his right knee that cut short what had the potential to be a record-breaking season for a Packers tight end. Through the first nine weeks, he caught 32 passes for 489 yards and six touchdowns, with only one tight end having more touchdowns at the time and only two having more receiving yards.
Kraft's return from mid-November surgery went smoothly, and he remained in Green Bay for most of the offseason to rehab. He started training camp on the physically unable to perform list but was doing individual drills by Day 3 of practice, in 11-on-11 periods by Aug. 16, and taking hits in a joint practice with the Cardinals by Aug. 26.
Kraft said earlier this month he would not hold out or miss any regular-season games if a deal was not done. The extension is the latest in a string of deals by the Packers this offseason, following long-term contracts for wide receivers Jayden Reed and Christian Watson and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, and it leaves the Packers with every offensive starter under contract through at least the 2028 season.
