The great Bo Melton experiment has ended. The Green Bay Packers have returned the veteran back to wide receiver after he officially spent last season practicing with the cornerback room. This move makes sense on several levels. Today we examine why the Packers decided to move Melton back to wide receiver and what his chances are of sticking with the team.

The Packers Moved Bo Melton Back to Wide Receiver: His Early NFL Career

The Seattle Seahawks drafted Melton in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The former Rutgers star didn’t make the final roster but was signed to Seattle’s practice squad. The Packers signed him to their active roster on December 27, 2022. Although Melton didn’t appear in a game that season, the Packers signed him to a futures contract.

Melton started the 2023 campaign on the Packers practice squad, but they activated him to the active roster late in the season. He recorded the first 100-plus yard receiving game by a Packer in a late season game against the Vikings. While Melton played only five games in 2023, he caught a career-high 16 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown.

In 2024, Melton played all 17 games although he did not start any. He finished with eight catches for 91 yards and contributed on special teams.

Melton didn’t see action on offense often, but his size and speed made him effective whenever the team put him in the lineup. He added solid depth to the receiver position.

The Position Change

The Packers decided to move Melton from wide receiver to cornerback during the offseason prior to the 2025 campaign. The move made sense. The Packers organization was high on Melton, his raw skills and his work ethic. But the Packers had a glut of players at receiver. The team selected Matthew Golden in the first round of the draft and then added Savion Williams in the third round. They also had returning veterans like Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Malik Heath. Meanwhile, they were thin at the cornerback position. The hope was the position switch would help Melton earn a roster spot and stay on the team.

Melton spent the season practicing with the cornerbacks. He changed his number from 80, a traditional receiver number, to 16. Throughout training camp, the coaching staff went out of their way to praise Melton’s progress at his new position.

However, once the season started, little changed for Melton. He continued to play a role on special teams, but he never took a single snap at cornerback. When injuries struck at wide receiver, he saw some action on offense. He played 96 snaps at wide receiver and caught four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers Moved Bo Melton Back to Wide Receiver: Looking Ahead

At OTAs this week, the Packers officially moved Melton back to wide receiver. The team’s official Web site lists him as a wideout on their roster page. He also wore a white jersey at OTAs on Wednesday, meaning he was playing with the offense.

The situation on the roster has changed and Melton has a better chance of making the team at receiver, which is his natural position. The Packers have moved on from Wicks, Doubs, and Heath. They did not draft a wide receiver. Meanwhile at cornerback, the Packers drafted Brandon Cisse in the second round and added Domani Jackson on day three. They also signed free agent Benjamin St-Juste during the offseason.

Melton has a better chance to make the team as a depth receiver and special teams player. In an emergency, he could step in at cornerback, but since that never happened last season, it is unlikely to happen this year. We shall see how Melton does in training camp and during the preseason and whether he earns a roster spot again in 2026.

 

 

 

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