With the sixth roster spot at wide receiver up for grabs on the Green Bay Packers depth chart, the preseason opener provided a reminder of Bo Melton, who saw his share of playing time on special teams and made a key block in the run game on a scoring play.
During the Cincinnati game, Melton had just one reception for three yards, but he ended up playing 12 special teams snaps and did so on a few different phases, including the kick return, kick coverage, and punt return units. He ended up being on the field for 38% of all special teams snaps — the fifth-highest rate on the team.
Then on Emanuel Wilson’s first touchdown run, when lined up in the slot, Melton was able to help create a running lane between him and the offensive tackle with the block he made on the Bengals’ cornerback.
Not without a key block from Bo Melton. https://t.co/ExVgzLwJqO
— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) August 12, 2023
“Blocking is not always the sexy thing to do,” said Matt LaFleur on Sunday, “and you guys love to give me crap for coming up here and talking about guys’ blocking, but it’s an important part of our offense. A lot of those guys had some key blocks on some those touchdown runs. Bo Melton on Wilson’s first touchdown. On Goodson’s touchdown, Wicks had a block on the goal line as well. I thought, all in all, receivers did a really nice job blocking.”
In the week prior, Melton had begun making more noise on the offensive side of the ball in practices. With 4.34 speed, he has often been lined up in the slot and either utilized in the quick passing game in an effort to get him the ball in space or stretching the field.
Competing with Melton for that potential final roster spot at the position is Malik Heath, who, understandably so, has gained more attention. Since offseason programs, he has routinely made a catch or two in many of the practices. When the team splits up into an A group and a B group, Heath has often been with the A group that features the starters.
Against the Bengals, Heath had three receptions for 36 yards and a big downfield block that, as LaFleur said, was “exciting” for the coaches. In this Green Bay offense, Heath could fill that goon-like role — a term of endearment in the Packers’ organization and how LaFleur frequently described Allen Lazard — by being an enforcer in the run game at the receiver position.
“They looking for a goonie,” said Heath after Sunday’s practice, “so I’m trying to fit that role. I’m trying to do anything I can to make this team. Get on the field and make this team, anything you want me to do.”
However, Heath also only played one special teams snaps in Friday as well, compared to Melton’s 12. The reason that this is noteworthy is because the role of the sixth receiver on this roster in terms snaps on offense is likely to be very small.
With five receivers ahead of that player on the depth chart, the Packers’ heavy usage of 12 and 21 personnel in training camp, along with how active the tight ends and running backs are in the passing game, there will be very few snaps and targets left for the sixth receiver. Just like with the third running back, where both LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst have said that special teams contributions are a must, I’m going to guess that the same thought process is applied to the back end of the receiver position.
Also a potential part of the equation in determining who will be the sixth receiver is how confident the Packers feel in getting either of these players to the practice squad. If, for example, they believe another team could sign Heath away, Green Bay may feel the need to roster him to prevent that from happening.
Grant DuBose, who has been practicing the last week after being activated off the NFI list, is another player in the mix for that roster spot. During the Sunday and Monday practices, he made a few catches each day with the second and third-team offenses.
One preseason game is complete, but there is still a long ways to go in determining these roster battles, including a big week ahead, with the Packers competing in two joint practices with New England, followed by a preseason game on Saturday. As is the case with every other position group, there is a prerequisite for how each player has to perform in their traditional roles, which for receivers is as a pass catcher—and perhaps that carries the most weight in this decision. However, there is also a lot more that goes into determining those final roster spots than just how a player performs within the typical roles of their position group, including special teams contributions and blocking, where Melton stood out in Cincinnati.
“Bo is a scrapper,” said LaFleur. “He’s a scrappy guy that can really run. I think they (Melton and Heath) both have flashed. It’s just about building the consistency in which they go out there, and ultimately, they’re going to have to do it in the preseason games.”
