The Green Bay Packers were so desperate in the secondary last season that they had Bo Melton, a career wide receiver, switch to cornerback.
Yet despite impressing in his new role during training camp, it never translated to a real opportunity. Melton played a grand total of zero snaps on defense last season, and he still played 96 on offense, catching four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.
No matter how dire things got at cornerback, the Packers never turned to Melton in a meaningful game.
Now, it appears, the experiment is over once and for all. During the first media availability of the Packers' OTAs, team reporter Wes Hodkiewicz noted that Melton was wearing a white jersey at practice, which meant he was playing on offense.
And if that's not enough, the Packers now list Melton as a wide receiver on their official website. It's over.
The Bo Melton cornerback experiment appears to be over once and for all
You could argue that the cornerback experiment never really started. He didn't play a defensive snap, and all that happened was Melton played fewer snaps on offense than in previous years.
But the experiment was worth a shot. The Packers had a logjam at wide receiver last season but a concerning lack of depth at cornerback. There's a good possibility Melton wouldn't have made the 53-man roster at wide receiver. By moving him to defense, the Packers could justify keeping a spot open. He made an impact on special teams and still played some snaps at receiver.
After this offseason, the Packers have flipped the script.
They have added reinforcements at cornerback, with free agent Benjamin St-Juste joining draft picks Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson, with only Nate Hobbs walking out the door.
At wide receiver, the Packers let Romeo Doubs walk and traded Dontayvion Wicks. That's two of Jordan Love's favorite targets gone, opening competition for the final spot or two on the depth chart.
And, after all, Melton isn't a cornerback. He has found success at wide receiver in Matt LaFleur's offense, and with more targets now available, it makes sense to move him back where he's most comfortable.
Shifting to cornerback gave Melton his most realistic shot at a roster spot last year. Now, funnily enough, the opposite is true. The veteran likely wouldn't make the 53 as a defensive player, but given what he can provide as a WR6 and core special teams player, Melton's stock is rising. Don't be surprised if he makes the roster.
There are several storylines only just beginning at OTAs, but one of our questions may already have an answer. It would appear that the Melton cornerback experiment is officially over.
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