The Packers have been looking to establish a solid tight end duo since they drafted Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave. However, last season when Tucker Kraft went down, it wasn’t Luke that stepped up to the plate. Instead, the Packers saw some raw talent from TE Josh Whyle. Here’s why this new duo may be exactly what the Packers need in 2026.
The Packers Get A Steal From The Titans
Whyle was selected in the 5th round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. He had a productive college career at Cincinnati finishing with 88 receptions, 1,062 yards and a school record 15 touchdowns. He would go on to play in 28 games for the Titans over his first 2 seasons in the NFL. In that time he posted 37 catches for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Whyle landed on the Packers practice squad in August 2025 as an intriguing developmental depth piece. Injuries would eventually open a window of opportunity for him, and Green Bay promoted him to the active roster when Tucker Kraft suffered his season ending ACL injury.
While the box-score production was modest, Whyle’s overall impact became more apparent as the season progressed. With Kraft sidelined and the Packers searching for answers behind him, Whyle earned the coaches trust in passing situations. In fact he logged 38 percent of the offensive snaps over the second half of the season. Whyle appeared in 8 games tallying 5 catches for 36 yards and a touchdown while carving out a larger role than many expected.
Love hits a WIDE OPEN Whyle for a GB TD
Whyle’s versatility as a running back, slot option, and a “move tight end” (a highly athletic, pass-catching specialist who is frequently moved across the offensive formation to exploit defensive mismatches) allowed him to leapfrog Luke Musgrave in certain packages. There is a growing belief around Green Bay that Whyle enters 2026 as the club’s No. 2 tight end. That sentiment has been echoed by many observers and fans who view his all around fit in Matt LaFleur’s offense as a better complement to Kraft’s skill set than Musgrave’s more specialized receiving profile.
The Road Ahead For The Tight End Room
Looking ahead to 2026, the Packers could have one of the deeper tight end rooms in the NFC if Kraft returns to form. Whyle is currently getting the bulk of the reps at OTAs while Tucker Kraft continues to rehab his ACL injury.
Here’s a locker room interview where Kraft discusses his rehab and also mentions the upside and ceiling of what they’ve seen from Whyle.
Before his injury, Kraft was on pace for another breakout season and had already stacked up 489 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns through 8 games. Pairing that production with a reliable and ascending Whyle could give Jordan Love another dependable middle of the field target while allowing LaFleur to lean even more heavily into his multiple tight end packages.
Whyle may never put up insane reception numbers, but his size, positional flexibility and steady development make him one of the more dangerous under the radar players on Green Bay’s roster. If his late season emergence was any indication, the Packers may have found a valuable long-term duo at a position that has quietly become one of the offense’s strengths.
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