Between March and August, Green Bay Packers fans probably hear the term "versatile" more times than they'd care to share. During free agency, the draft, OTAs, and Training Camp, you could probably retire if you received a dollar for every time a member of the Packers organization, or a Packers content creator, uses the word. That's because, from Ted Thompson to Brian Gutekunst, the Packers love players who can contribute at more than one position. This can be anything from an offensive lineman who can be moved to different spots on the line, to a linebacker who can double as a safety, to perhaps even an offensive player with some skills on the defensive side of the ball. With the Packers, versatility can earn you an easy roster spot. 

Over the years, we've seen our share of players who can line up in different positions. Nearly every offensive lineman who's come through the Packers locker room for the last decade has been able to at least play both tackle and guard. We saw Clay Matthews line up at both outside and inside linebacker, we saw Charles Woodson play both cornerback and safety, and we saw Ty Montgomery go from being a mid-grade wide receiver to a fairly effective running back.

But what about switching which side of the ball the player lines up on? There have been a few low draft picks or undrafted free agents who were asked to switch positions in their first training camp. Just to name a few, Korey Hall, who played linebacker in college, made the switch to fullback after being drafted in the sixth round in 2007, and Sam Shields, who played wide receiver in college and went undrafted in 2010, made the switch to cornerback and went on to have a pretty good career at the position. Despite these being pretty good accomplishments to switch from offense to defense or vice versa right out of college, none of them compare to switching sides of the ball basically in the middle of your career. Or even playing both sides. Which is what it seems Packers receiver Bo Melton is focused on trying his luck at. 

Melton has been a bottom-of-the-depth-chart receiver for the Packers since he first saw regular-season action after being elevated to the active roster in 2023. He's had a few flashes here and there, but hasn't quite solidified a guaranteed spot on the Packers roster. The wide receiver room looks pretty crowded for 2025, with nine out of twelve players having either a guaranteed spot or at least having a decent shot of making the final roster. It's likely only six or seven will make it, and barring injuries or trades, it's a good chance six of those nine players are guaranteed a spot. That means either Bo Melton is going to grab that final spot, or will likely be seeking employment elsewhere. That's where versatility comes in. 

When you think about versatility as a wide receiver, you tend to think of being able to line up out wide, in the slot, or maybe even in the backfield. Being a gunner in the punt and kicking game also comes to mind as a way to show off your versatility and earn a roster spot. But playing cornerback, especially after three years in the league already, normally isn't on the list. But as of last week's OTA practices, that's exactly what Bo Melton is doing. Is a run at being a two-way player in the works?

Just Give it a Shot

Matt LaFleur inquired around two weeks ago about Melton trying his luck at cornerback, and Melton decided to just give it a shot. His brother, Max Melton, is a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals and was a second-round draft pick at the position in 2024. So, you could say if Bo decides to make the switch, alongside his teammates, he'll also have a family member as a resource. Melton has been working with defensive pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley as well as with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, studying the defensive playbook, so you could say this isn't just for fun. 

Safety, Evan Williams said that Melton looked pretty sticky in coverage when he went over film, and is a good athlete. But at the moment, Melton is still a wide receiver with no plans of truly transitioning to corner. But what about playing on both sides?

Second-overall pick in the 2025 draft, Travis Hunter, is a known two-way player coming out of college, playing both receiver and corner. Of course, everyone has made comparisons of Melton to Hunter, but this isn't just a trendy move by the Packers on account of Hunter. Hunter isn't the first player to do this in NFL history. Travis Hunter's former college coach, Deion Sanders, you could say, was one of the greatest two-way players in recent memory, playing corner and receiver as well. The Packers' own Don Hutson played safety alongside receiver as well; however, the early days of the NFL saw a lot of two-way players, sometimes even three-way players.  

At this current moment, this is just an experiment. Bo Melton is still an effective receiver with a shot at making the final roster. But come training camp, if he's still taking reps at corner, this may be something to keep an eye on. It will be a little odd to see a cornerback wearing the number 80, but if Melton can make the transition or work as a two-way player effectively, it will be a welcome surprise to the 2025 Packers.