The Green Bay Packers’ cornerback room looks awfully thin after Jaire Alexander‘s exit. Green Bay will lean on Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine to hold things down. After those three, there’s nothing but uncertainty.
Bo Melton experimented at cornerback during mandatory minicamp. Could that lead the Packers to keep just four cornerbacks?
Banking on Melton giving the Packers production at cornerback is a big stretch. However, keeping just four cornerbacks with Melton being an emergency fifth cornerback makes some sense when considering the rest of the roster.
Green Bay is loaded at wide receiver. They’ll have six spots locked in once Christian Watson returns sometime during the season. There’s a real possibility Green Bay keeps seven wide receivers on the final 53-man roster with Watson on the PUP list.
The offensive line has seven locks for the final roster and at least three others who should make the team. If Green Bay goes with 10 offensive linemen, it must cut depth elsewhere.
Throw Melton into the equation.
Keeping four cornerbacks brings some risk. Still, if we’re calling a spade a spade, the Packers have numerous injuries at cornerback. They will be using fringe roster players in premier roles at the position regardless, so having Melton as an emergency option starts to make more sense.
If training camp rolls around and the Melton cornerback experiment is still ongoing, why not bulk up the numbers at another position, knowing you have Melton in a pinch if it works out that way? After all, he’d only be called upon to play cornerback in an emergency situation — emphasis on the word emergency.
Head coach Matt LaFleur praised Melton’s talent for even considering becoming a two-way player.
Obviously he’s a real talented player and has produced. I just love everything about the guy. How he shows up every day ready to compete and give his best effort — matter of fact, I showed some clips of him in the team meeting (Tuesday) morning, just of what he does.
The idea of plugging Melton in at cornerback didn’t sound like it was spur-of-the-moment decision. Sure, injuries to Micah Robinson and Kalen King during training camp left Green Bay at a significant disadvantage at the position. Still, General manager Brian Gutekunst noted that Melton may address an issue the Packers have had for years.
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.
For those thinking this was a last-gasp effort to carve a role for Melton on the 53-man roster, it doesn’t seem like that’s the case. If Melton continues to fully grasp the role, it would put the Packers in a spot where they may feel more comfortable carrying four cornerbacks.
King, Robinson, and Kamal Hadden have a case to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster. Those competitions will be settled in training camp and the preseason. However, if any of them underwhelm, the practice squad could come calling, with the Packers opting to go with Nixon, Hobbs, Valentine, and just one of the above three. Melton will create flexibility if he can play on both sides of the ball.
Gutekunst knows the value it carries.
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.
In an ideal world, the Packers never get into a spot where they must use Melton at cornerback. If that’s the case, there has been a disaster atop the depth chart, and that’s not a knock on Melton.
Green Bay could use five cornerbacks to ensure the position is more buttoned up with different options. If that’s the case, it will have to trim somewhere else.
The Packers use the word versatility ad nauseum. They often use it as a deciding factor for draft picks, free agent pickups, and who can scoop up a final roster spot.
In this case, Melton gives you production at wide receiver and special teams. If he can add cornerback to the résumé, the Packers might just keep four on the final roster with Melton as the emergency fifth. It’s the benefit of having versatility on the roster and using it to your advantage.