The 2025 NFL season is officially at our fingertips, with training camp well underway and the first full slate of preseason action set to hit our screens this weekend. Camp is a time full of tropes, such as players “being in the best shape of their lives” and late-round rookies making a surprise push for a significant role. When September and October roll around, some of these narratives stand tall, while others topple like a house of cards.
The early buzz out of Green Bay has surrounded first-round pick Matthew Golden. The Texas product led all Packers receivers in snaps at the X position on family night. Notably, Jayden Reed lined up exclusively in the slot. All indications suggest Golden is in line to make an immediate impact, with the result being that he becomes Jordan Love’s top target for years to come.
It remains to be seen how fast we will see that escalation from point A to point B. For now, Love has a deep arsenal of weapons at his disposal, including Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft, and a former camp darling in Romeo Doubs. Christian Watson is also reportedly ahead of schedule in his return from a torn ACL.
The depth of that receiving room brought us another classic camp storyline: the position change. General manager Brian Gutekunst saw that, despite having many capable receivers, the Packers lacked a reliable go-to chain mover. In the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles, nobody could win their matchups. He brought in Golden, and the ripple effect went all the way down the depth chart to a guy named Bo Melton.
Melton is a former Seattle Seahawks draft pick who has turned in a strong pair of seasons while being called upon in a wide variety of situations. His 24 receptions for 317 yards and a score have been plenty of bang for Green Bay’s buck, considering they’ve kept him as the last or penultimate receiver on the depth chart. He also seems to have passed the eye test, looking explosive and making the most of his opportunities. The lack of clarity at the top of the depth chart led to Golden and Savion Williams’ arrival and presented Melton with the short end of the stick. Still, in the process, he has been granted a new opportunity.
To play cornerback.
The cornerback position is going to be an issue for the 2025 Packers. Jaire Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens after the Packers released him, and slot specialist Nate Hobbs was the only addition made through free agency. Green Bay is handing All-Pro return man Keisean Nixon and 2023 seventh-rounder Carrington Valentine an extremely tall task at a premium position in a tough division. Provided that Golden is everything the beat writers are saying, they likely don’t need Melton at receiver.
The position change can often be a pitiful attempt to save a player’s career. Many quarterbacks-turned-receivers such as Terrelle Pryor, Malik Cunningham, John Rhys Plumlee, and Green Bay’s own Alex McGough have failed to gain traction. Just last season, Hard Knocks extensively chronicled Velus Jones Jr.’s transition from wide receiver to running back, just for the Chicago Bears cut him. However, he early indication is that this is a serious effort from Melton and the Packers, which may well land him on the 53-man roster.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, Melton “has looked like an NFL cornerback in camp.” Head coach Matt LaFleur and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley have echoed that sentiment. Melton has experience playing the position at Rutgers, so it’s not a complete shot in the dark. Still, it has been extremely impressive to see him carve out a role this fast.
Earlier this week, Melton ran with the starting defense as Nixon and Hobbs sat out of the team period. He is currently listed as a second-string cornerback and, given Hobbs’ history as well as the reality of injury attrition in the NFL, he could become extremely relevant at any moment. As much as it felt like a camp gimmick as the first headline or two rolled in, I think a lot of people inside and outside of the organization will be intensely watching his preseason debut on Saturday.
Now, the idea of Green Bay’s WR5 in 2024 lacing ‘em up across from Justin Jefferson in 2025 feels like an issue for a team with legitimate title aspirations. It’s tough to decide how much to credit Melton for his adaptability, resilience, and athleticism versus blaming the front office for putting together such an unserious cornerback room.
The season has yet to begin, and I’m already getting flashbacks to Ladarius Gunter versus Julio Jones in the NFC Championship. The dissonance between where the team hopes to go this season and what they are sending out there at one of the game’s most important positions is stark. Still, Bo Melton is serious about making an impact, and it’s officially time to take him seriously.