Tucker Kraft and 2 more new stars the Packers can build on in 2025

Season 2024-25 didn’t end the way the Green Bay Packers wanted as they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles en route to the Wild Card round.

Not that losing to the Eagles is an embarrassing thing in itself. They were 14-3 this season and ultimately the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Jalen Hurts is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. Saquon Barkley nearly broke the NFL’s single-season rushing recordand the Eagles’ defense has been elite all year.

No, there’s no shame in losing to that Eagles team. However, there was an embarrassment in how the Packers looked in the last few weeks of the campaign. Firstthey lost to the Minnesota Vikings on the road, and the final score made it seem much closer than it really was. Then, they inexplicably lost to the Chicago Bears at home.

The vibes were terrible as the Packers figuratively limped into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and didn’t improve in Philly. The Packers basically didn’t show up, at least offensively, and fell 22-10.

After the game, second-year tight end Tucker Kraft, the new star, basically confirmed what we all knew. Vibrations were felt for the Packers.

“Well, we certainly didn’t win anything; the last few games we played – you could sense what was coming: we just didn’t finish. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a down season, we learned a lot about some of the individuals on our team and how these players can impact the future of this building,” Kraft told the media after the loss to the Eagles.

Kraft went on to say that he is ready to give it his all, and that he is certainly one of the young and influential up-and-coming stars for this team that will lead the Packers into the future. However, he is not the only one. Here’s the Kraft breakdown and two more.

Tucker Kraft has the chops to be a superstar for the Packers

Kraft can do everything you want from a modern tight end. He’s a big, strong guy at 6-foot-5, 250 who can stay in line and block, or lead on the counter or pull. That said, he is also a very good pass catcher for his age and one of the things that has already made him a fan favorite in Green Bay is his ability to catch the football and make tough runs after the catch.

He’s very similar to George Kittle or Travis Kelce, and it’s worth noting that he’s a head coach Matt LaFleur can craft that role for the Packers.

“100% and I think it’s up to us to make sure we find him and introduce him,” LaFleur told the media when asked if Kraft could play a role like Kittle or Kelce. “It is, when he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him.” If there’s one area where we have to do a better job, it’s the awful side.”

Kraft finished his second NFL season with 50 catches for 707 yards and seven touchdowns, and it’s worth remembering that he’s only 24 years old.

Edgerrin Cooper is already looking like a star quarterback for the Packers

In-game announcers have already talked about rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper as a rising star for the Packers for the remainder of the season, and keep in mind that he has missed several games due to injury. He also missed some time in the preseason.

That means he had far less time to develop than the average rookie, but by season’s end he was Green Bay’s starting middle linebacker and arguably the most impressive Packers defensive player not named All-Pro Xavier McKinney.

Cooper finished the regular season with 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception. He was third on the team with seven tackles in the Wild Card loss to the Eagles.

He is extremely athletic, but also very good at reading what is happening in front of him and playing quickly. The Packers have a rising superstar in their second-round pick out of Texas A&M.

Carrington Valentine looks like he has a future with the Packers

There isn’t a general manager in the NFL who isn’t happy with the results Carrington Valentine gave the Packers in 2024. He recorded 18 tackles, two forced fumbles, five passes defensed and two interceptions. This is incredible production considering the fact that he was a seventh round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Valentine may not be a superstar in the making like Kraft or Cooper, but he’s a nice young piece that the Packers can build around in the secondary — especially with Jair Alexander’s future with the Packers looking bleak.

If the Packers can find the right lockdown corner to be the CB1 this offseason, Valentine could slot in nicely as the CB2 player on the depth chart.