Bo Melton got reps at cornerback during both individual and live team periods at Tuesday’s minicamp practice, but the veteran isn’t attempting to make a position change. Instead, the Green Bay Packers are giving Melton an opportunity to play both wide receiver and cornerback — potentially giving him rare versatility as a four-down player who can contribute on both sides of the ball.
“We just thought that if there is somebody that can potentially do both, he would be that guy,” coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday.
Melton, who is now entering his fourth NFL season, played both receiver and cornerback during Tuesday’s practice.
A full-on position change at this point in Melton’s career could have been a troublesome sign. Instead, the Packers are attempting to maximize Melton’s ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
LaFleur said Melton’s impressive ability on special teams tempted the Packers into giving him a chance to play cornerback, a position his younger brother — Max Melton — plays for the Arizona Cardinals. And when the team presented the idea, Melton was all for it.
“He said he was up for the challenge,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur said Melton has some cornerback experience in his football background, including time at Rutgers before he moved to receiver full time.
Melton has caught 24 passes and carried the football 11 times (creating 384 total yards) over the last two seasons while playing over 200 snaps on special teams. Last season, Melton produced four tackles covering kicks and punts as a gunner. He is an elite athlete with tremendous speed and an ideal frame (5-11, 189) for playing receiver or cornerback.
Like an offensive lineman who can play multiple positions, or like rookie Travis Hunter who can play both ways, versatility is a valuable asset for any player, especially one like Melton who isn’t going to be a featured player on offense.
“Versatility is critical, and it creates added value for that player,” LaFleur said.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said “very few” players have been able to play both ways at the pro level, but versatility would give Melton tremendous value — potentially as a backup at both receiver and cornerback and as a go-to player on special teams.
“Bo is everything we want in a football player out there as far as his ability as a receiver, on (special) teams, and he’s able to add this to his arsenal he’ll be really, really valuable to us,” Gutekunst said.
The Packers are deep at receiver after adding Matthew Golden and Savion Williams via the draft, but the depth chart at cornerback is far less settled in Green Bay, and Melton still has a terrific chance to make the 53-man roster as a core special teamer for Rich Bisaccia — especially if he can prove an ability to competently play two different positions.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers giving Bo Melton opportunity to play both WR and CB
Reporting by Zach Kruse, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
