All of a sudden, the Green Bay Packers could be missing a couple of their biggest playmakers on offense. Jayden Reed is already out for a few months after having surgeries on his foot and collarbone this week, and now Tucker Kraft’s status for the immediate future is in question following a knee injury in practice.
These issues mean that it is time for some other players to step forward and make an impact. In place of Reed, expect Dontayvion Wicks to get more playing time, something that may help the Packers’ run game thanks to Wicks’ blocking abilities. However, Wicks has been excellent catching the ball so far this season, so if he can sustain that performance, any dropoff from Reed could be minimal, with Wicks being arguably less explosive but better at beating man coverage
Meanwhile, Luke Musgrave may be in for a bigger role if Kraft has to sit out for a game or two. As the tight end drafted earlier in the 2023 draft, Musgrave came in with higher expectations than Kraft as a rookie, but saw his grip on a starting role slip away. This could be his chance to demonstrate that he too was deserving of a day-two draft pick, should Kraft indeed miss Sunday’s game.
In either case, the Packers will surely need to rely on some of their role players to win some games this season, much the way they did during their 2010 run to the Super Bowl. Let’s hope those players are up for the challenge.