Just as everyone predicted during training camp, Bo Melton became the Green Bay Packers’ first receiver to eclipse the 100-receiving mark in a game this season.
In a 33-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, Melton led the team with nine targets and finished with six receptions – tied for the team lead – totaling 105 yards and a touchdown.
Melton surpassed 100 yards on Green Bay’s final possession. With 1:48 left on the clock and the Packers facing a 3rd-and-8, Sean Clifford connected with a wide-open Melton for 37 yards.
He also caught his first touchdown pass — a 9-yard score in the second half that put the Packers up 30-3.
“He’s done a tremendous job on special teams in practice, and he’s doing a great job on scout team, and every time I give him a rep, speaking of Bo, he would go out there and make a play at practice with Jordan,” wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said.
Had it not been for Jayden Reed exiting the game at halftime with a chest injury, it very likely would have been him who topped 100 yards first. Through two quarters, Reed had 89 yards on six receptions with two touchdowns.
Melton has been a practice squad elevation in each of the last three games and has seemingly come out of nowhere offensively. Against Tampa Bay, he primarily played special teams, catching one pass for seven yards. But against Carolina, Melton delivered an efficient performance totaling 44 yards on just 15 routes ran.
While on the outside, Melton’s emergence has appeared sudden, he has been capitalizing on the opportunities that have come his way in practice recently.
“He stepped up huge,” said Jordan Love post-game. “I talk about it all the time; it’s always the next man up mentality, and Bo’s a guy whose been working every week, even when he’s not been in the role. He’s working on scout team, trying to find ways to get better, and it’s not surprising anybody when he goes out there and does what he does. He did a lot of good things.”
Due to injuries at the receiver position, specifically to Christian Watson, Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed in recent weeks, which has led to them missing various amounts of practice time and created more opportunities for Melton with Jordan Love and the starting offense, helping to make his transition to Sundays more seamless.
Melton is now out of practice squad elevations, with the Minnesota game being his third. This means that if the Packers want him on the game-day roster in Week 18 against Chicago, he has to be signed to the 53-man–something that one would expect to happen this week, regardless of what the injury situation in the receiver room is.
At the beginning of the season, with all of the youth and inexperience at receiver, this position was a major question mark. But Melton’s emergence is the latest example of just deep this position group actually is for the Packers.
“We’ve seen it in practice, you guys are just seeing it now,” said Matt LaFleur. “For Bo, and for many players in general, it all starts with their attitude. This guy has been team first since the day he got here. He’s always striving to get better no matter what is asked of him.
“Whether it’s on the scout team. Whether he’s getting reps with the first team offense, whatever it may be. Whether it’s on special teams and he’s had a great attitude and mentality. We’ve all seen a lot of growth and a lot of progress from him.”
