Packers Pass Catcher’s Career Move a Cause for Concern

The Green Bay Packers have their own Travis Hunter experiment entering training camp — but it’s not the same problem the Jacksonville Jaguars have.

Hunter, who has proved himself at wide receiver and cornerback, has the potential to help the Jaguars on both sides of the ball.

Meanwhile, in Green Bay, Bo Melton is merely fighting to make the roster.

General manager Brian Gutekunst shared with reporters on Wednesday, July 23, that Melton, selected as a wide receiver in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, will move to cornerback this training camp.

It’s a two-fold problem: Melton is not standing out enough at his primary position, and the Packers are desperate at cornerback to try the Hunter experiment with Melton.

“Bo is going to spend most of his time at corner. We know what he can do for us as a receiver and on special teams. He’s been an important part of our football team the last couple of years,” Gutekunst said. “We’re excited to see what he might be able to do at corner on defense. I think we switched his number to No. 16 because that looks a little bit better than the No. 80 he was running out there at camp. He’ll spend most of time, especially these first three or four weeks, at corner.”

Since the departure of Jaire Alexander, the Packers have not made a meaningful addition to the roster to bolster the top of the cornerback depth chart. Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, and Carrington Valentine are the team’s top three corners, but after the trio is little proven talent.

While the Packers brass continues to speak glowingly of Melton, the actual move tells a different story.

Packers’ History of Position Changes Doesn’t Spell Confidence in Melton

On the surface, Green Bay saved face by offering an optimistic view of Melton’s position change.

However, the precedent of similar moves is not good.

Last year, quarterback Alex McGough switched to wide receiver but did not make the final roster. Edge rusher Jonathan Garvin switched to defensive tackle in 2023, only to be released on his birthday later that summer.

In 2020, James Looney switched from defensive line to tight end, only to be released that August.

A common thread with the Packers’ positional change experiments: all the aforementioned players were seventh-round picks, including Melton.

The Minnesota Vikings have an example with a much more physically talented player in former first-round New England Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry.

In 2024, Harry switched to tight end in Vikings training camp after fizzling out in New England and Chicago, but did not make the final roster — evidence that few players, not their draft status, have made the transition to a new position effectively.

Packers 53-Man Roster Prediction Sees Melton Released, Veteran CB Signed

The Packers have a busy wide receiver room with 13 players entering training camp, which leaves little room for Melton.

Heavy.com’s Jordan Wilson projected that the Packers would cut Melton and eventually sign a veteran corner to fill the role that was his for the taking