Luke Lachey's brief tenure in Green Bay is over before it could officially begin.
The former Hawkeye tight end was projected to have a breakout season in 2023 before a season-ending injury during week three completely derailed those aspirations. Lachey decided to return to the program for his senior season in 2024, and while he was relatively healthy throughout (missing only two games), inconsistent quarterback play and a run-heavy scheme limited his production. The Houston Texans drafted him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he was waived this offseason before the Green Bay Packers signed him.
Now, his future is in limbo after sustaining another massive injury.
Green Bay has officially waived Lachey, putting his future in jeopardy
Lachey has always been a talented, versatile tight end who can be an effective pass-catcher and blocker, but he hasn't been able to stay fully healthy since his sophomore season in college, and it has hurt his production. Even though the Texans took a chance on him, he spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squad and was eventually waived. He got another chance with the Packers after the organization claimed him off waivers, but his short tenure in Green Bay is now over.
Waived with injury settlement: #Packers Luke Lachey
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 12, 2026
After suffering a foot injury during a recent practice that would have put him on IR for the entire 2026 season, the Packers officially waived Lachey with an injury settlement. Instead of opting to keep him on IR for the season, the Packers opted to waive him and grant him an injury settlement. The settlement is agreed upon by both parties, and the team pays the player a designated amount based on the estimated recovery time for the injury. No details have been released about the settlement, but after Lachey fully recovers from his foot injury, he can sign with any organization.
Despite poor quarterback play throughout his Iowa career, Lachey was productive, tallying 893 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 42 games (24 starts). He was a prototypical Iowa tight end with his ability to block and catch passes at a high rate, but his injury history is starting to pile up. It is extremely unlucky that Lachey doesn't suffer minor injuries, and when he has been injured, it's been season-ending, but his NFL career isn't necessarily over. He has the ability and physical tools to be effective, but he has to stay healthy.
It also doesn't help that tight ends are becoming a very hot commodity in the NFL lately, and it is hard to make a roster if you aren't one of the top three to four guys. Lachey likely won't be a starter at this point in his career, but he can be an effective backup or even third-string with his versatility. It will be an even bigger uphill battle after recovering from his foot injury, but hopefully he can catch on with another NFL organization. For now, he must fully focus on his recovery and get back to his 2022-2023 form when he put up his best season for the Hawkeyes.
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