It was just about exactly one year ago when Bo Melton was given a green jersey and moved to cornerback at Green Bay Packers minicamp.
At this year’s minicamp, Melton was back to his natural position, receiver.
The changes reflect the realities of the moments.
In 2025, the Packers were loaded at receiver with the additions of draft picks Matthew Golden and Savion Williams joining the established quartet of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks. Once Watson was back from his torn ACL, Melton – a standout on special teams and a beloved member of the team – might have been the odd man out.
With some questions at cornerback even after the addition of Nate Hobbs in free agency, moving Melton gave him a place on the roster and, perhaps, a ticket to help the team beyond special teams.
In 2026, the Packers are anything but loaded at receiver. Doubs signed with the Patriots, Wicks was traded to the Eagles and no receivers were drafted. In terms of experienced receivers, that left only Watson, Reed, Golden, Williams and free-agent addition Skyy Moore, who was signed because of his kick-returning skill more than his ability to help on offense. Of the five, Watson, Reed and Golden are the only players who could be considered established receivers.
So, it’s back to receiver for Melton, a change that’s in the best interests of all parties.
“I just feel like last year, it was needed at the time,” Melton said recently. “It was voiced to me, and I’m a team guy. I want to be here for the team. I want to win a Super Bowl so, at the end of the day, that’s what it takes, and that’s what they think is good for me in that year, it was cool.
“But, for me, I know what I could do at receiver given the time. So, I just feel like the more reps I keep taking at receiver, the more I’m in there, better things happen. Last year, I was in there in little spurts because I was playing defense the whole year, so I couldn’t really be who I wanted to be.
“But I know what I could do. God’s blessed me with great talent, so I’m just going to keep going.”
Melton was a seventh-round pick by Seattle in 2022 after closing his career at Rutgers with more than 2,000 receiving yards. He joined the Packers late in his rookie season, then caught 16 passes in 2023, eight in 2024 and four in 2025.
Now – finally – the door is open for Melton to make his mark at his natural position. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Melton comes out of training camp as the No. 4 receiver. To varying degrees, Watson, Reed and Golden have NFL injury histories. Melton could find himself in a key role this season.
“Potentially, for sure,” Melton said. “I’m just really zoned in on my craft. My first year here when I had the 16 catches, I just let the ball find me and it was finding me, and I was open. And, you know, I pride myself getting open and being a deep threat, and I feel like that’s what I could do really well. It’s been going great so far. Really great.”
Melton, indeed, is a deep threat and Jordan Love loves throwing the deep ball. Melton could be Green Bay’s top field-stretching option while allowing Watson, Reed and Golden to work more of the intermediate field.
The Packers entered this year’s draft needing a nose tackle for Jonatan Gannon’s new 3-4 scheme. General manager Brian Gutekunst had most of the top options at his fingertips in the third round when he selected Chris McClellan.
Yes, McClellan can and will help at nose tackle; he spent most of the offseason running with the No. 1 defense in that role. But he’s more than just a big, run-stuffing nose tackle.
He’s a “sexy fat man” with the ability to move around the defensive line.
“He’s strong, he can two-gap, but he’s got a little pass rush about him. He’s a pretty damn good athlete for his size,” Senior Bowl executive director Drew Fabianich said. “That’s what I really like about certain nose tackles that are more than just what we call need-two guys, and they just eat up two blocks and that’s really all they are. When they’re more than that, that’s what makes them more valuable.”
That value has been evident early. In the 3-4 to start the offseason, McClellan was the nose tackle flanked by Javon Hargrave and Karl Brooks. With Hargrave joining Devonte Wyatt on the sideline for minicamp, Nazir Stackhouse was the nose tackle flanked by Brooks and McClellan.
In the nickel package, when the nose tackle is replaced by nickel Javon Bullard, McClellan frequently was one of the defensive tackles.
“Obviously, he played in the SEC,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said when asked specifically why he picked McClellan over massive Iowa State run-stuffer Domonique Orange, who was drafted by the rival Vikings.
“He’s a huge man. He has excellent length, and I think for me, the combination of being able to play the nose, the 3 and actually rush the passer, there’s a lot of these guys that don’t do that. He can. That was I think what set him apart a little bit for us.”
At this early stage of things, McClellan is playing exactly as advertised. When the season kicks off at Minnesota, expect the starting defensive line to be Hargrave, McClellan and Wyatt, with McClellan playing a lot of the nickel snaps that aren’t pure passing situations.
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