The Green Bay Packers have not seen Luke Musgrave on an NFL field in 2026. Based on the comments Matt LaFleur made in his press conference, the odds of Musgrave suiting up this season are low.
“It’s tough to say right now,” LaFleur said when asked if Musgrave would play at all this year. “Until proven otherwise, I would say no. But I would never close the door on that.”
He did not want to say that Musgrave could not recover faster than the expected timeline. However, all odds are that he is going to miss the season.
Musgrave suffered a neck injury in offseason workouts and has not seen the field since. The specifics of the injury have not been reported.
Green Bay Packers Expected to Miss Luke Musgrave for Entire 2026 Season
Injuries have been the story for the former 42nd overall pick, who went ahead of Tucker Kraft in the same draft. Musgrave suffered a lacerated kidney in 2023 and only played in nine games. He finished his rookie season with 34 receptions for 352 yards and a touchdown.
It was ankle issues that hurt his chances of seeing the field in 2024. Musgrave had just three starts in seven games of being active. He had just seven receptions for 45 yards.
Musgrave was mostly healthy in 2025, but the team could not find ways to get him more involved on offense. He finished with 24 catches for 252 yards. He is in the last year of his rookie contract and will be a free agent after the year.
The team did not try to extend him after a disappointing start to his career, and a season-ending injury in a prove-it season is not going to make them any more comfortable. He may have already played his last down with the Packers.
Packers Tight End Room Has Filled Out
Despite missing on Musgrave, the Packers tight end room still looks strong. Kradt was drafted 78th in 2023 and just signed a massive extension. The Packers signed Jonnu Smith when it was clear that Musgrave would not be back. He is a reliable veteran, even though he has just five catches for 85 yards.
Their third tight end is Mark Redman, who makes a bigger impact than Smith. He is primarily a run blocker. With the Packers’ offensive line struggles, he has made a huge difference in the Packers’ running game.
They also have Josh Whyle as their fourth tight end. Last year, he was competing as the number two due to injuries in the room. So, they got Kraft healthy, and they are much deeper.
Losing Musgrave for the entire season is not a good development, but the team has not been lacking his presence. He could push Smith out if he returned and looked healthy.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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