The Green Bay Packers are one of the oldest and most storied franchises in professional sports history, let alone the NFL. As a result, when team records are violated, it is usually a big deal. Setting a record or being the first to accomplish something on a team that has been around for over 100 years is not easy.
So far in 2023, the Packers’ Luke Musgrave and Jayden Reed are on pace to break Sterling Sharpe’s franchise record for most receptions in a rookie season. While the other key receiving records (yards and touchdowns) are out of reach (Billy Howton owns both and set them in 1952), Musgrave is getting close to making history in one area.
Musgrave could break a record set by Bubba Franks in 2000 if he is healthy enough to play (he was listed on the team’s injury report on Monday).
Tight End for the Green Bay Packers Luke Musgrave has the potential to break Bubba Franks’ rookie tight end receiving yardage record.
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Bubba Franks, the last tight end drafted in the first round of any NFL Draft in 2000, set the franchise record for the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end. His stat line isn’t particularly impressive, with 34 receptions for 363 yards and one touchdown, but rookie tight ends haven’t typically put up big numbers for any NFC North team.
This season, however, it appears that this is changing. Musgrave needs only 23 more receiving yards to break Franks’ record of 33 receptions for 341 yards and a touchdown.
Sam LaPorta of the Detroit Lions is just eight yards away from becoming the first tight end in NFC North history to have 500 receiving yards in his rookie season. Musgrave will be second by the end of the season if he maintains his current pace.
Since Bubba Franks, the Green Bay Packers have not had a Pro Bowl tight end.
It may be difficult to believe, but Franks was the last Packers tight end to make the Pro Bowl. From 2001 to 2003, he accomplished this feat three times in a row. However, he never had more than 442 receiving yards in a season during that time:
In 2001, he had 36 receptions for 322 yards and nine touchdowns.
In 2002, he had 54 receptions for 442 yards and seven touchdowns.
30 receptions, 241 yards, and four touchdowns in 2003
Green Bay has struggled to replace Franks since he left after the 2007 season (for the New York Jets, ironically). JerMichael Finley was drafted to replace him, but he was unable to stay healthy (despite having the potential to outperform Franks).
Since Franks’ departure, the Packers have used tight ends such as Jared Cook, Marcedes Lewis, Robert Tonyan, Donald Lee, Jace Sternberger, Josiah Deguara, Tom Crabtree, Andrew Quarless, Brandon Bostick, and Richard Rogers.
Of course, in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Packers selected two tight ends: Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. So far, Musgrave appears to be the more likely of the two to end the Packers’ drought of Pro Bowl tight ends, and he is on the verge of breaking the rookie record held by their last one.
