Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Bo Melton is going to focus primarily on the cornerback position during training camp, and the receiver-turned-cornerback is changing uniform numbers as a result. Instead of wearing No. 80, a traditional receiver number, Melton is switching to No. 16 for training camp.
“Bo is going to spend most of his time at corner,” Gutekunst said Wednesday. “I think we switched his number to 16 because that looks a little bit better than the 80 he was running out there at camp. He’ll spend most of time, especially these first three or four weeks, at corner.”
By the start of Wednesday’s practice, the Packers updated Melton’s number and position on the official roster. He’s No. 16, and labeled a cornerback.
The Packers began the experiment with Melton at cornerback to end the offseason workout program. Gutekunst said Melton has been “all for it.”
Both Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur explained that the Packers know what they have in Melton at the receiver position and are eager to see if he can help the team at cornerback.
“We know what he is as a receiver, what he can do for us as a receiver and on special teams. He’s been an important part of our football team the last couple of years. We’re excited to see what he might be able to do at corner on defense.”
The Packers are deep at wide receiver entering training camp and can likely provide an easier path to the 53-man roster at cornerback.
“We know what he is as a wide receiver,” LaFleur said. “It just gives him the best opportunity moving forward to carve out a role in that spot.”
Gutekunst admitted there will be “good days and bad days” for Melton as he transitions to cornerback, but the Packers think he’s mentally tough enough to handle it.
Melton has played 22 games for the Packers over the last two seasons, catching 24 passes as a receiver and handling 11 carries as a gadget weapon while also contributing on special teams. In fact, Melton’s work on special teams — as a gunner on punt coverage and blocker on punt return — gave the Packers confidence that he could switch to cornerback after playing mostly receiver during his football career.
In 2024, Melton produced four tackles covering kicks and punts. He is an elite athlete with tremendous speed and an ideal frame (5-11, 189) for playing the cornerback position.
While switching positions is a difficult task for any veteran player, versatility is such a valuable trait, especially for a player on the roster fringe. The Packers love Melton as a player and person, see the log jam at wide receiver and believe Melton has the ability to play on the other side of the football, which should, in theory, give him a better chance of making the 53-man roster come the end of training camp.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers having Bo Melton focus on cornerback during training camp
Reporting by Zach Kruse, Packers Wire / Packers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
