The rookie tight end Luke Musgrave has resumed practice, and the Green Bay Packers have opened the window for him to be reinstated off injured reserve.
Thursday, Dec. 21, was Musgrave’s first practice back on the pitch with his teammates since he sustained a lacerated kidney in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Musgrave did not participate in team exercises, but being back out there is a step in the right direction. The Packers will now have 21 days to determine if Musgrave can return to injured reserve at the end of the season or activate off it and play on game days.
Musgrave’s ability to take this step is encouraging, according to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.
Having Musgrave back on the pitch, Matt LaFleur told reporters, “It was great.” “With the trainers, he was jogging and catching some balls.” He is improving.
It is “cautiously optimistic,” according to LaFleur, that Musgrave will return to the pitch at some point this season.
Through the first ten games of his NFL career, Musgrave, the Packers’ 2023 second-round choice, caught 33 catches for 341 yards and one touchdown before sustaining the injuries that ultimately landed him in the hospital.
It appears that Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings will be the earliest that Musgrave may be activated from the 53-man roster and play.
Packers TE Coach Applauds Work Ethic of Luke Musgrave
The rookie tight end was nevertheless active during his injured reserve stint, even though he was unable to train.
John Dunn, Musgrave’s position coach, reports that despite his four-week hiatus, the Oregon State product actively participated in team meetings and video study.
On December 20, Dunn told reporters, “Luke, and like all these guys, our personnel guys did a great job; they love football.” “I adore football, really. You wouldn’t have it this way for him, not that I speak for him, but you do get to take a step back and perhaps view the game in a different light because you’re not participating. Though I do believe that for him, the key is simply talking to him, rather than being able to observe, research, or perceive things from a different angle. He’s a wonderful young man.
With three games left, the Packers are presently one game behind the division rival Vikings in the wild card race and outside of the NFC Playoffs heading into Week 16.
Regaining Musgrave’s playing time would help Green Bay’s prospects of making the playoffs by adding him to the supporting cast of emerging quarterback Jordan Love.
Tucker Kraft Steps Up to Take Luke Musgrave’s Place
Tucker Kraft, a fellow rookie tight end, has benefited greatly from an increased role in the Packers’ passing game since Musgrave’s injury.
In the first 14 games of the 2023 season, Kraft has caught 18 passes for 216 yards and two scores. But Kraft has really come into his own since Musgrave’s injury.
Kraft has caught 15 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns over the last five weeks. Love, however, has an incredible 134.8 passer rating while going after the third-round rookie, as Pro Football Focus notes.
Love and the Packers’ offence will have a dynamic and formidable tight end combo down the stretch if Musgrave is able to return this season.
