Power Ranking the Tight End Rooms in the NFC North

NFL training camps are in full swing, and as teams ease back into on-field drills and practices in the dead of the summer, football fans have a reason to rejoice.

Key points

• In four years with the Vikings, Hockenson has totaled 247 receptions, 2, 372 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
• Loveland, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, had one heck of a rookie year.
• LaPorta hasn't discovered the magic he had during his rookie year when he totaled 86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns.
• Oliver has never had more than 22 catches, 258 yards, or four TDs in any season, and he should put up similar numbers next year.
• Had Kraft not gotten injured last year, he might've had an All-Pro season.

By Michael Gallagher Sports Content Coordinator. Newsweek is a Trust Project member.

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In practice, the preseason officially began last week, and teams are preparing for their second exhibition games this weekend.

As the start of the NFL regular season inches closer (Sept. 9), we are continuing to look at key offseason storylines for each of the league's 32 teams.

We've already looked at the top position battles to watch, rookies with the best chance of winning a starting job, and the players in the most danger of being cut, plus we've ranked the top head coaches, quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers by division.

Now, we're power ranking the tight end rooms in each division. Next up is the NFC North. 1- Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Sam Roush.

Loveland, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, had one heck of a rookie year. He totaled 58 receptions, 713 yards, and six touchdowns, and he's projected to take on a larger role in Chicago's passing game in 2026.

Conversely, Kmet is the best TE2 in the division. He's just two years removed from his career-best 73-catch, 719-yard, six-TD season. With D.J. Moore in Buffalo, the Bears have two young WRs in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden, so having multiple tight ends capable of putting up numbers will be vital for quarterback Caleb Williams. 2- Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle.

Had Kraft not gotten injured last year, he might've had an All-Pro season. In just eight games, he logged 32 catches, 489 yards, and six scores, and if he's fully healthy this season, he could be in the 80-catch, 900-yard range.

Musgrave, a former second-round pick, was drafted to be Green Bay's future TE1. A mix of injuries and ineffectiveness, nevertheless, assisted Kraft jump him on the depth chart. But he should be one of the better backup tight ends in the league. 3- Detroit Lions: Sam LaPorta, Tyler Conklin, Brock Wright.

LaPorta hasn't discovered the magic he had during his rookie year when he totaled 86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns. But he's still dangerous with the ball in his hands, and if he's healthy, he should play like a top-10 TE again.

Conklin is one of the better backups in the league. He had 50 or more catches and 449 or more yards every season from 2021 to 2024, and if LaPorta has any injury problems this year, Conklin is more than capable of stepping in as a starter for a few games. 4- Minnesota Vikings: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yuroseck.

It's been two seasons since Hockenson played like a Pro Bowler, but he's shown when he's at the top of his game he's one of the best at his position. In four years with the Vikings, Hockenson has totaled 247 receptions, 2, 372 yards, and 11 touchdowns.

In short, power Ranking the Tight End Rooms in the NFC North is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.