The Green Bay Packers suffered their third straight loss on Saturday night, and while they already clinched a playoff spot earlier in Week 17, they’re still searching for answers if they want to make a deep run.
While the Packers’ run defense has become a major concern, so has the way that head coach Matt LaFleur has chosen to utilize Bo Melton. Once ticketed for a role as a cornerback, Melton surprisingly worked his way back into the receiver room for a Week 10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Although Melton’s story has become a good one, a critical drop late in the game against the Ravens led to a Clayton Tune interception that virtually put the game out of reach. The pick could be considered a one-off, but it’s becoming clear that Melton’s role needs to be cut if the Packers want to get out of the Wild Card round next month.
Packers’ Bo Melton’s Usage Is Making Less Sense By the Week
Melton’s descent happened long before Tune’s pass clanged off his hands on Saturday night. The Packers chose to get creative to find a spot for Melton on the roster, thanks to his abilities on special teams. However, the team’s receiver room became crowded with the addition of rookie Matthew Golden and Savion Williams and the anticipated return of Christian Watson to pair with Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.
While Melton stayed on defense through the first half of the season, he was moved back to receiver thanks to a series of injuries at the position. In the eight games since his return to the offensive side of the ball, Melton has four catches for 107 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets.
That may not seem like a call for Melton to get pushed down the depth chart, but it’s staggering when you compare it to the way LaFleur has used Golden. The Packers’ first receiver taken in the first round of the draft since Javon Walker in 2002, Golden has just as many targets since Melton came back to the receiver position, albeit with just five catches for 91 yards and two carries for four yards while battling shoulder and wrist injuries.
But it’s not just Golden that’s paying the price. Dontayvion Wicks had six catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns in a Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions, but he has just four catches for 25 yards in the four games since that performance. Savion Williams, Doubs, and others have an opportunity to cry foul over Melton getting snaps at wide receiver, and the situation may be reaching a boiling point as the Packers get closer to the playoffs.
LaFleur would probably point to his desire for Jordan Love to spread the ball around in his offense. But it also doesn’t make sense to force-feed a player the Packers didn’t deem good enough to stick at wide receiver during minicamp. Perhaps it’s an adjustment that will be made before Green Bay begins its playoff push, but Melton needs to be pushed aside in the receiver hierarchy if they want any chance to be something other than one-and-done.