Packers’ Tight End Luke Musgrave Benched During Dismal Day In New York

The Luke Musgrave Experience may be about over.

The Green Bay Packers hoped their third-year tight end could fill in admirably after they lost Tucker Kraft to a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 2.

After Musgrave had a drop and a fumble on his only two targets in the first half Sunday, he played just two second half snaps. On the flip side, John FitzPatrick played 16 snaps and Josh Whyle played 11.

Green Bay rallied late to defeat the New York Giants, 27-20.

“It will be interesting to see just how the rest of this thing goes with him,” Green Bay offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said recently of Musgrave.

It hasn’t gone well.

Musgrave, a second round draft pick in 2023, had three catches for 23 yards in Green Bay’s 10-7 loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 10. But the lasting impression of Musgrave’s night was failing to get a key first down late in the contest.

On a third-and-10 from the Green Bay 35-yard line with 1:51 left, quarterback Jordan Love threw a pass in right flat for Musgrave, who caught it at the 40. Musgrave turned upfield and didn’t encounter a defender until the 43.

At that point in the game, any tight end worth his salt puts his shoulder into a defender’s chest and fights for first down yardage. Instead, Musgrave lunged for the first down and came up a yard short.

On the ensuing fourth-and-1 play, running back Josh Jacobs was stopped for a 4-yard loss and fumbled trying to flip the ball back to Love, ending the Packers’ best chance of tying or winning the game.

Against the Giants, things were even worse.

On Green Bay’s opening possession, Musgrave caught a short pass, then fumbled after being hit by cornerback Cor’Dale Flott. Fortunately for the Packers, the fumble went out of bounds.

Then just before halftime, Musgrave made a reception in the right flat, was hit by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and again lost the ball. Officials ruled the play a fumble that was recovered by Flannigan-Fowles.

Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur challenged the play and won, allowing the Packers to keep the football. At that point, though, it was clear Green Bay had seen enough of Musgrave and he played just two second half snaps.

“I just want to play with good energy, good effort, do my job,” Musgrave said after Kraft’s injury. “That’s what I’m going to focus on.”

That hasn’t happened. Instead, Musgrave has simply penned the latest chapter in an extremely disappointing career.

Musgrave was selected with the 42^nd overall pick in the 2023 draft thanks in part to his rare size (6-6, 253) and speed (4.61) ratio.

Musgrave flashed early and had 34 receptions his rookie season, despite missing six games with a lacerated kidney. Musgrave still tied the franchise record for most catches by a rookie tight end set by Bubba Franks in 2000, and his 352 receiving yards were the third-most by a rookie tight end in team history.

Musgrave missed 10 games in 2024, though, with an ankle injury and finished with just seven receptions for 45 yards (6.4 average). Meantime, Kraft was emerging as a star and Musgrave found it harder and harder to get on the field.

This season wasn’t much better, as Musgrave had just six receptions through seven games and played 29.9% of the snaps before Kraft was injured.

The Packers opted not to make a trade by the Nov. 4 deadline and turn the No. 1 tight end job over to Musgrave.

“I think he’s a different kind of player than Tucker in the pass game,” Stenavich said of Musgrave. “He provides a really good down-the-field threat. He’s got really good speed. He’s long, good range when he catches the ball. I think that’ll just kind of put him in the forefront of our offense as far as getting him more targets and things like that, to take over that role.”

Right now, Green Bay is undoubtedly regretting its decision not to trade for another tight end, as Musgrave’s dreadful play has left the Packers with arguably the worst tight end room in football.

“Just focusing on when I get my opportunities playing with good effort and energy, focused on what’s on film,” Musgrave said recently.

What’s on film right now certainly isn’t pretty.