The significant abdomen injury suffered by Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave during Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers will cost the rookie at least the next four games. The Packers placed Musgrave on injured reserve as part of six roster moves made Wednesday.
Musgrave, the 42nd overall pick in the 2023 draft, will miss games against the Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will be eligible to return Dec. 24 against the Carolina Panthers, although it’s unclear at this point if a return to the playing field is possible in 2023.
Musgrave needed to be hospitalized after suffering the injury. He played through the injury Sunday but became aware of the underlying issue Monday.
Musgrave appeared in each of the Packers’ first 10 games and was on the field for 71 percent of the offense’s snaps. He ranks third on the team in targets (45) and receiving yards (341) and second in receptions (33) entering Week 12. He caught 73.3 percent of his targets, averaged 7.7 yards per target and produced five catches of 20 or more yards. He scored his one and only touchdown during a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9.
Without Musgrave, the Packers will turn to rookies Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims to play leading roles at tight end over at least the next four games. Kraft produced a 27-yard catch against the Chargers and has come on as a run blocker. The majority of Sims’ playing time has come as a blocker, but he does have two catches for 14 yards.
The Packers also placed rookie running back Emanuel Wilson on injured reserve. He suffered a shoulder injury against the Chargers.