Earlier this week, the Green Bay Packers informed two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander that they were going to release him. This decision ended what had turned out to be an ongoing saga that saw the former first round pick pitted against the organization, who had grown tired him paying top dollar for playing less than half of their games over the last two seasons.
Of course, Alexander’s divorce from the Packers had long been a possibility, especially since he himself stated that he was not sure he would be back in 2025 when he spoke to reporters following Green Bay’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.
With Alexander now off the team, many fans are concerned about the depth of the cornerback position, as they also lost Eric Stokes, Corey Ballentine, and Robert Rochelle in free agency.
Indeed, there may be several jobs open in the defensive back room after projected starters Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Carrington Valentine. And it is possible, though not likely, that one of the team’s wide receivers could win one of those spots.
The Green Bay Packers Have Been Having Bo Melton Practice as a Cornerback (in Addition to Wide Receiver)
After Alexander was released, Packers reporters and fans were surprised to see that Green Bay had wide receiver Bo Melton, who re-signed with the team earlier this offseason, practicing with the cornerbacks.
Metlon’s brother, Max Melton, is a starting cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
While the Packers are not officially changing Melton’s position, the fact of the matter is that he needs to prove that he is too valuable as a versatile player for Green Bay to leave off of their 53-man roster. The fact of the matter is that with Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Matthew Golden, Savion Williams, and maybe even Christian Watson ahead of him, Melton has a long shot at making the roster.
But he is an above-average special teams player and has proven to be a good depth piece in the wide receiver room. If he can be even just an average cornerback in limited snaps, the Packers would likely keep him on the roster just because of his versatility and ability to play any of the three phases of the game.
Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Bo Melton Breaks Silence on Practicing as a Cornerback
Following practice on Wednesday, Melton with the media for the first time since he started practicing with the defensive backs.
Some tried to compare what he is doing to what current Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy as a wide receiver and cornerback, did at Colorado. Melton would not go that far:
“Travis is a different athlete, as everybody knows,” Melton said. “He’s a Heisman Trophy winner, won a lot of awards. I’m not going to compare myself to somebody that’s done that. But what I will say is I like to run for days. Back in high school, college, I’m very versatile. It’s just something they want to look at. I don’t have a problem with it as long as everything’s right.”
For their part, the Packers know that the likelihood that Melton successfully transitions to defensive after being a wide receiver for so long is not great. That being said, he is obviously a player that they like, both for what he brings on the field and to the locker room.
It will be interesting to see if he does indeed earn a roster spot, and what he will be tasked with in that spot.
More Green Bay Packers News from Gridiron Heroics
- Packers Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Team’s Major Decision
- Packers Send Farewell Message to Jaire Alexander After Releasing Him
- Packers Have Wide Receiver Play Cornerback in Practice After Releasing Jaire Alexander
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