When Jordan Love dropped one into the bread basket on a 70-yard bomb to Mecole Hardman to end practice on Wednesday, it served as a reminder of the impact Hardman can make on an offense.
.@MecoleHardman4 had the offense turnt after this 70+ yard TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xjQxxoShTl
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) June 11, 2025
Hardman will be battling for a roster spot at wide receiver this summer for the Green Bay Packers, and he isn’t alone. It’s a room that features a ton of depth and also begs an important question: Will the numbers game force the Packers to release valuable production at wide receiver?
The rule of thumb when it comes to a roster breakdown in the NFL is that there are typically six wide receivers on a 53-man roster. In Green Bay, there are already five locks.
Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks are the veterans of the group, if you will. Rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams will be part of the roster, barring something unforeseen. That’s five right from the jump, and doesn’t include Christian Watson, who will likely start the year on the PUP list.
After that, there’s Hardman, Malik Heath, and Bo Melton, all of whom can make a strong case to be part of the final 53.
Hardman has been on the receiving end of a walk-off touchdown in a Super Bowl. He also offers Green Bay an option in the return game, both at kick return and punt return. Heath has spent his first two seasons with the Packers and at 6’2″, has the size they prefer at tight end.
Then there’s Melton. He had a huge touchdown reception in a playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers just two years ago and offers plenty of versatility.
Melton is a crucial special-teams player, and they’ve even experimented with him as a cornerback during minicamp. Versatility is a prized virtue in Green Bay, and Melton offers plenty of it.
Bo Melton working at cornerback pic.twitter.com/iRYAAgiCu9
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 10, 2025
The harsh reality is that there won’t be room for all these wide receivers on the roster. Head coach Matt LaFleur said after Wednesday’s practice that the competition Hardman and others bring will benefit the group.
You always want competition. I’m a big believer in the more competition you have, the more it pushes everybody and you’re going to get the most out of everyone and see the best version of them.
It’s hard to argue with LaFleur’s point. It’s also true that a handful of wide receivers could be squaring off for one spot — a spot that will be filled once Watson is good to go at some point in 2025.
Melton’s case is the most fascinating.
Green Bay’s decision to try him at cornerback, knowing they would be mocked after releasing Jaire Alexander, is admirable. Part of why the Packers did this appeared to be out of necessity, with Kalen King and Micah Robinson out of practice on Wednesday. However, general manager Brian Gutekunst noted that there is genuine interest in seeing if Melton could make the transition.
We’ve talked about this for a couple of years, just his skillset and how versatile he is. You watch him on (special teams) and you’re like, “Wow, he can probably do some of that.” I think it’s just something we’re going to look at and see if it’s a possibility.
As a hybrid player, Melton could have a leg up on the competition as the offseason programs continue. Green Bay emphasizes the ability of back-end roster players to play special teams, and Melton checks that box and then some.
Gutekunst is giddy about the possibilities.
Bo is everything we want in a football player out there as far as his ability as a receiver, certainly on (special) teams. If he’s able to add to his arsenal, that makes him really, really valuable to us.
Williams, the rookie out of TCU, also offers Green Bay another form of versatility. Williams spearheaded the “Frog” package with the Horned Frogs, where he would line up at quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. The combinations could be endless.
Green Bay’s wide receiver room boasts an incredible number of parts that all execute well in different specialties. They brought Golden in to stretch a defense and be a true difference maker as a potential No. 1 option. They drafted Williams as a Swiss Army knife and Green Bay’s version of what Deebo Samuel was to San Francisco. Then there are the veterans, Doubs, Reed, Watson, and Wicks. All are crucial chess pieces on the board for LaFleur.
The numbers game will eventually dictate that Green Bay cut ties with at least a couple of productive receivers, but the Packers can put that on the back burner for now. At this stage, they’re content letting the competition play itself out and see how the chips fall.