Packers rumors: Injury woes hit secondary, defensive bright spot, underrated rookie excelling
- Tight end Luke Musgrave is on pace to set a Packers rookie record
- Devonte Wyatt ranks in the top five among defensive linemen in pressure rate
- Jaire Alexander joins the long list of Packers dealing with an injury
By Luke Norris
The Green Bay Packers haven't had a lot to get excited about this year, but enter their Week 10 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming off an impressive 20-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.
Here are a few things happening in Lambeau land as Matt LaFleur & Co. prepare to begin the second half of the 2023 NFL season.
Packers rumors: Luke Musgrave is on pace to break a Packers receiving record
Taken in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 42nd overall pick, tight end Luke Musgrave impressed his coaches and teammates from the get-go.
With ridiculous athleticism and far faster than someone who's 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds should be, the Oregon State alum had a fantastic training camp and preseason to earn a spot in the Packers' starting lineup in Week 1.
And through eight games, Musgrave has become one of Jordan Love's favorite receivers, ranking third in targets and second in receptions.
And given the issues the Green Bay receiving corps as a whole has had with drops, one would think Love would continue to target him, as Musgrave's catch percentage (77.1) ranks first among those with at least 10 targets.
Now, while 27 catches for 249 yards with one touchdown might not look all that impressive, the 23-year-old is actually on pace to break the Packers rookie record for receptions. The record is currently owned by Sterling Sharpe, who caught 55 passes as a rookie in 1988. He then led the league in receptions the following year with 90.
Prior to Sharpe, the mark belonged to Billy Howton, who caught 53 balls for a league-leading 1,231 yards all the way back in 1952.
So Musgrave is in pretty good company. His current pace would put him at 57 receptions at season's end.