Tag: Bo Melton

Packers release WR Bo Melton and RB James Robinson

The team announced the release of receiver Bo Melton and running back James Robinson on Monday.

Two players signed from the practice squad before the Green Bay Packers’ 29-22 win over the Detroit Lions were released to start Week 13 on Monday. The team announced the release of receiver Bo Melton and running back James Robinson.

Short-handed at both positions due to injury, the Packers signed Melton and Robinson to the 53-man roster last Wednesday.

Melton played two snaps — including the final kneel down — on offense and six snaps on special teams against the Lions. Robinson was active but did not play a snap behind A.J. Dillon and Patrick Taylor at running back.

The Packers got back rookie receiver Dontayvion Wicks at practice on Monday, while Dillon and Taylor can probably handle the workload at running back until Aaron Jones (knee injury) is back.

It’s certainly possible, if not likely, that Melton and Robinson are back on the practice squad by Wednesday.

What will happen with the two open 53-man roster spots? Safety Darnell Savage and cornerback Eric Stokes have both been designated to return from injury reserve and would need a roster spot should they be ready to play this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Former Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton signed with the Packers’ practice squad

On Wednesday, Ex-Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton signed with the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad.

Former Rutgers wide receiver Bo Melton has signed with the Green Bay Packers practice squad. It is a solid landing spot for Melton, who has a good chance to make the 53-man roster at some point this season.

Melton was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft (229 overall).

Melton spent the 2022 season on Seattle’s practice squad before signing with the Packers in late December. Since then, the former Scarlet Knight has been working to make the Packers’ 53-man roster.

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The 5-foot-11, 189-pound wide receiver had a solid career at Rutgers, where he recorded 164 receptions, 2011 yards, and 11 touchdowns in 56 games. A four-star recruit from Cedar Creek High School Melton chose Rutgers over offers from other Power Five schools, like Michigan and Ohio State.

During the 2022 NFL Combine, Melton ran a 4.34 time in the 40-yard dash and showed off his big-time playmaking ability at the Senior Bowl. He is a diverse player who can get touches as a receiver, a rusher, and a returner.

The Packers’ 53-man roster is loaded with young talent at the wide receiver position but it is unproven. Green Bay has six receivers on their 53-man roster from their 2022 and 2023 draft.

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Packers WR Bo Melton sees ample special teams snaps, makes key block vs. Bengals

Don’t forget about Bo Melton in the Packers’ roster battle at WR. He played special teams and delivered a key block in the preseason opener.

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.

“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.”

Packers WRs Bo Melton and Malik Heath have to carry momentum into preseason

Bo Melton and Malik Heath have caught a lot of passes during Packers training. Now, the two WRs must produce during the preseason.

If the Green Bay Packers keep six wide receivers on their initial 53-man, that is a roster spot that is up for grabs, with Malik Heath and Bo Melton being the front-runners for the role.

Heath, an undrafted rookie from Ole Miss, had a really strong offseason program where he seemingly made a play during each of the practices. In training camp, he has come on as of late, putting together his best practice during Family Night over the weekend.

At 6-2 and 213 pounds, Heath is a big-bodied receiver who doesn’t have blazing speed but has shown the ability to make contested catches and also create separation through his route running. During Family Night, Heath caught two touchdowns, including a catch and run over the middle, where he sold going right but instead went left, creating space between him and the cornerback.

Melton, meanwhile, brings a speed element to the receiver position, running a 4.34-second 40-time coming out of Rutgers last year and has spent most of his time lined up in the slot. Many of the standout plays that Melton has been able to create have either come on slants, or quick in-breaking or out-breaking routes, where he is able to get the ball in space and pick up yards after the catch, or downfield, where he can use his speed to create space. Melton has been able to find the end zone multiple times over the last week.

“I’ve seen a lot of good things from both those guys,” said Matt LaFleur on Monday. “They are different receivers. Malik is kind of your big goonish-type of guy that you know we love around here. He’s very physical. And Bo is a scrapper. He’s a scrappy guy that can really run.”

In recent years we’ve also heard LaFleur refer to Allen Lazard as a “goon” because of his play style and what he was asked to do. Like Heath, Lazard went undrafted before working his way onto the 53-man roster, taking on large roles as both a pass catcher and excellent run-blocking receiver.

Along with Heath and Melton, also in the mix for that sixth receiver role is seventh-round pick Grant DuBose, who was activated off the NFI list on Monday and participated in his first practice as a member of the Packers. What DuBose has going for him is that he is a draft pick, however, as LaFleur has mentioned previously, he is going to be playing catch up. A player can work as hard as they can off the field, but there is no substitution for actual practice reps, especially for rookies.

I’m also not completely sold on the idea that the Packers roster six receivers either. Based on what I’ve seen in training camp so far, we are going to see a lot of two tight end and two running back sets, which means fewer receivers on the field. Also, with how often running backs and tight ends are used in the passing game, coupled with being the sixth receiver on the depth chart, there will likely be little to know opportunities on offense for this player.

With the offensive line, edge rusher, the interior defensive line, safety, and linebacker all being positions where the Packers could go heavy and roster an extra player, the team could choose to use one of their final roster spots at any one of those positions, where there could be a greater impact, rather than on a sixth receiver, whose role will be small. It’s going to be important for DuBose, Melton, and Heath that they be able to contribute on special teams as well.

Heath and Melton have been able to flash over the last week of practices, but now they will need to build upon that momentum during the part of summer where it matters most, with joint practices and preseason games upcoming. Chances are, both players are going to have a lot of opportunities in the preseason games, specifically, with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and perhaps others, on a snap count, and they’ll need to continue capitalizing on those opportunities, showcasing their consistency.

“I think they both have flashed,” added LaFleur. “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.”

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Can Bo Melton and his speed carve out a gadget-like role in Packers offense?

Watch for Bo Melton spending some time as a gadget-like weapon for the Packers this summer.

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In a young and also somewhat crowded Green Bay Packers wide receiver room, a name to keep your eyes on this summer is Bo Melton, who could fill a very specific role within the offense as a motion man and gadget player.

Melton was a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers in the 2022 draft by Seattle, where he spent most of the season on their practice squad. Then in late December, the Packers signed him to their active roster. Melton doesn’t have any career NFL snaps at this point, but he does possess 4.34 speed that could be useful in the Matt LaFleur offense. During his final season at Rutgers, Melton ranked 26th among all receivers in average YAC, according to PFF, and he averaged 7.5 yards per attempt over his career as a ball carrier.

I went into greater detail here, but in short, I do expect there to be a larger role in the offense this season for a gadget-type player with Jordan Love at quarterback, where we see more motion and snaps under center. The obvious benefit of having a speedy playmaker in this role is that it can be a relatively easy way to generate a big play via jet sweeps, end-arounds, or screens. However, there can also be a positive trickle-down effect to the rest of the offense just from having that skill set on the field, even if the play design doesn’t have him touching the ball.

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Having a man in motion with playmaking abilities can create mismatches for the rest of the offense. Movement just before the ball is snapped forces the defense to adjust on the fly as it can change what some of the defenders’ responsibilities are, and it can also force the defense to tip their hand a bit, which is valuable information for Love. Once the ball is snapped, the defense then has to figure out who has the ball, the motion man or the quarterback, and that split second of hesitation can open up passing lanes and allow blockers to get into a better position, perhaps even at the second level. All of this can create opportunities for others within the offense and hopefully take some of the playmaking burden off of Love’s shoulders.

Through OTAs I haven’t seen Melton used in this capacity yet, but these last few weeks the Packers are laying the groundwork for what they want their offense to become. Training camp is where we will see them go deeper into the playbook and the potential for this gadget-like role to emerge.

The Packers do already have players who we know will be on the 53-man roster that can fill this role in Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Not to say that we won’t see either utilized in that gadget role at times, but Watson’s value is best maximized as a receiver running routes, where his role is going to expand this year as he’s asked to run a greater variety of routes, while the Packers may want Reed to become comfortable with his receiving responsibilities before adding more to his plate, something we’ve heard several coaches mention this offseason when discussing young players.

If the Packers keep just five receivers on their Week 1 roster, which they’ve done in the past, then this position group is pretty well set with Watson, Reed, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure, and Dontayvion Wicks. If they choose to keep six, then perhaps there is some wiggle room for Melton to make the roster. During Brian Gutekunst’s and Matt LaFleur’s tenures together, the two have often prioritized keeping their own draft picks when making those final roster decisions, making Grant DuBose the obvious choice for that potential sixth roster spot. He is, however, yet to practice this offseason as he is sidelined with an injury, forcing him to play catch-up and possibly creating an opportunity for another receiver to make the team.

Although Melton’s skill set allows him the opportunity to carve out a defined role within the offense, in the grand scheme of putting together a weekly game plan, it is still a smaller role, even if it can make an impact. That means that, in all likelihood, he will have to find a way to contribute on special teams as well in order to maximize his value.

Ultimately we are still a long ways away from when these final decisions have to be made, and what happens during training camp and the preseason will be the deciding factors. But with that said, Melton can fill a role within this Packers offense that may be more prominent this season and one where simply his presence on the field can benefit those around him. So at the very least, he’s a fringe roster player worth watching this summer.

Packers sign rookie WR Bo Melton off Seahawks practice squad

The Packers signed rookie WR Bo Melton – a seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft – off the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on Tuesday.

The Green Bay Packers signed rookie wide receiver Bo Melton off the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday. Melton, a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers in 2022, will take the roster spot of defensive lineman Dean Lowry, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a calf injury during the Packers’ win over the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday.

Melton, the 229th overall pick, was released by the Seahawks during final roster cuts in August but has spent the entire 2022 season on Seattle’s practice squad.

Melton (5-11, 189) will wear No. 80 with the Packers.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Melton ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds, finished the three-cone drill in 6.98 seconds and hit 38″ in the vertical leap and covered 10-1 in the broad jump. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) is 9.24 out of 10.0.

At Rutgers, Melton played in 56 games, the third-most in school history. He caught 164 passes for 2,011 receiving yards 11 touchdowns, rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns and returned 11 kickoffs for 293 yards and five punts for 96 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers may like Melton’s potential on special teams. He was a two-time team captain at Rutgers with experience as a gunner on coverage teams and returning kickoffs and punts. Keisean Nixon’s latest injury could leave the Packers with a need at returner. The Packers also lost Christian Watson to a hip injury, hurting the depth at receiver.

Melton is the sixth receiver on the Packers’ 53-man roster.

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Evaluating Chargers’ options after season-ending injury to Jalen Guyton

Looking at a few wide receivers the Chargers could consider bringing in after the season-ending injury to Jalen Guyton.

The Chargers are in the market for a new speed threat.

Jalen Guyton tore his ACL Sunday, marking the third long-term injury suffered in the Jaguars game. Rashawn Slater (biceps) is also out for the season, while Joey Bosa (groin) is week-to-week.

Guyton’s absence is of underrated importance, considering that Los Angeles now lacks a bona fide speed threat at wide receiver. Such a role has been an oft-criticized omission from Joe Lombardi’s offense through three weeks.

Here are a few receivers LA could look to bring onto the active roster.

Joe Reed

Reed seems the likeliest addition, considering he’s already on the Chargers’ practice squad and briefly pushed to stay on the active roster before a minor injury all but ended his preseason. Reed could also be an important addition as a kick returner, seeing that DeAndre Carter’s role is likely to expand on offense. Protecting him from taking extra hits on special teams will be an emphasis, at least in theory. A fifth-round pick in 2020, Reed has the speed to fill Guyton’s role, but his route running is a work in progress, and he’d primarily be added to the roster as a special teams player.

John Ross

If we’re talking about speed, we have to mention Ross, the owner of the fastest 40 time in NFL Combine history. Just 26 years old, Ross has struggled with lower body injuries, part of the reason he’s currently a free agent. It was reported in August that the former Washington Husky was working to rehab a knee injury he suffered last season, with hopes to catch on with a team around the start of the season. The barrier to entry for Ross is twofold, however: one, he must prove he’s healthy. Two, Brandon Staley and Joe Lombardi, have shown preference to receivers that can win at multiple levels of the field. Without designed touches in the screen game, Ross is only a deep ball threat at this stage.

Will Fuller

Fuller has shown NFL ability as recently as 2020 when he finished with career highs in receptions (53), yards (879), and touchdowns (8) with Houston. But similar to Ross, Fuller’s questions will be all about health. The 28-year-old has never played every game in a season and remains a free agent despite reported interest from multiple teams in August. Does that mean he’s asking for too much money for what he is, or is he not the player he once was because of injuries piling up?

Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham is probably the biggest name on the wide receiver market right now, and for good reason. After forcing his way out of a bad situation in Cleveland, OBJ showed he still has the talent that made him one of the faces of the league with the Rams last season before tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl. There are a few problems with the Chargers bringing Beckham in, though. Number one: Beckham won’t be ready to contribute right away. The last report we got about his health suggested he’d be full go in October or November, a timeline that the Bolts can’t afford to stick to. Secondly, OBJ has been pretty clear that he wants to sign with a contender, and he’ll have ample time to pick and choose which teams are in that upper echelon by the time he’s ready to return. With the other injuries on this roster, LA is not likely to be on that list.

Dede Westbrook

Westbrook would likely be a practice squad signing that the Chargers elevate to give him a test run for a few weeks before committing to an active roster spot, but he checks many boxes for this team. Westbrook ran a 4.39 at the combine and played under special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken in Minnesota last season, so he knows what Ficken expects. That will be an important factor for a midseason signing, especially one expected to fill the shoes of Guyton, who was also one of Los Angeles’ punt gunners in the first three weeks.

Bo Melton

Melton was a favorite of ours at Chargers Wire during draft season because of his explosive athleticism and surprising physicality. He ended up being drafted late by the Seahawks, but they moved him to the practice squad before the season, leaving him available to teams hungry for depth at the position. That means LA potentially has the ability to right the wrong of not addressing the position in the draft. Melton is a smaller, slot-limited player, which may hurt his chances of becoming a Charger. But his college tape is full of plays at every level of the field and top-end speed. He’s the kind of receiver L.A. could use if they get creative.

Jaquarii Roberson

Roberson was a player I thought was draftable this spring, but his lack of special teams experience and value pushed him into the undrafted ranks. After being cut by the Cowboys, he latched on with the Steelers, where he’s currently on the practice squad. That, again, makes him available to teams like LA. Roberson isn’t a true burner, but he does accelerate to a pretty high gear when he gets going, and his proficiency on double moves often resulted in wide open plays at Wake Forest. Much like Melton, he’s a smaller receiver, and Roberson struggles as a blocker. But beggars can’t be choosers, and at this point, there are plenty worse options than Roberson.

Bo Melton hypes up brother Max before Rutgers Week 1 game

Former Scarlet Knights Bo Melton took to Twitter to hype up Rutgers and his brother Max Melton

In football, there’s the Rutgers family – and then there’s family-family.

Former Scarlet Knight Bo Melton played for the program just last season. Just because Bo is no longer a student-athlete at Rutgers, doesn’t mean that he can’t continue to hype up his former squad and especially his younger brother and current Rutgers cornerback, Max Melton. He took to twitter to do just that:

Bo was taken in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He had the privilege of playing together with his younger brother, Max at Rutgers for the last two years. The brothers played on opposite sides of the field with Bo playing wide receiver and Max playing cornerback, and were able to help each other grow. They battled each other while lifting each other up day in and day out.

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Max has used his experience with his brother and the Scarlet Knights to elevate his game, and experts were talking about him as a potential breakout candidate for this coming season. Knowing his brother will be watching closely this weekend may inspire him even more.

Bo was waived a few days ago as a result of offseason roster cuts, but signed back with the Seahawks to join their practice squad.

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Rutgers football named team captains for 2022 season

Rutgers football announced the captains for the 2022 season

Rutgers football is relying on a veteran core to provide a lift both on the field for what is still a young and rebuilding team. After a team vote Wednesday, six players will be leading the Scarlet Knights as captains for the 2022 season.

The choices shouldn’t and weren’t a surprise to anyone following this program over the previous two seasons. Each selection has been with Rutgers for at least one season and the group of captains features multiple super seniors.

Quarterback Noah Vedral, tight end Johnny Langan, wide receiver Shameen Jones, defensive lineman Mayan Ahanotu, defensive back Avery Young, and punter Adam Korsak were voted by their teammates to lead the Scarlet Knights into Saturday’s season opener.

Both Korsak and Vedral are used to this honor as both were voted captain last season. The Australia-born punter is now a captain for the third time during his career – the second three-time captain in program history.

That means there are four players who are brand new captains.

Ahanotu is entering his third season with the Scarlet Knights. He has played in 22 games, starting in 10, over the last two seasons and was recently named to the Shrine Bowl 1000.

Jones is now in his sixth season with the program, accumulating 26 starts at receiver in 44 games. He has 86 career receptions for 882 yards.

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Langan has been a jack-of-all-trades for the Scarlet Knights – seeing snaps at running back, receiver/tight end, and even some snaps at quarterback. He was named Rutgers’ MVP for the Gator Bowl last season after hauling in 57 receiving yards, rushing for another 20, and dropping in two completions for 21 yards.

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Young has provided versatility for the defense, moving from cornerback to safety last season. The move paid off as he finished second on the team with 81 tackles. He has been on the field for over 3000 snaps.

Last year’s captains:

  • LB Olakunle Fatukasi
  • P Adam Korsak
  • WR Bo Melton
  • RB Isiah Pacheco
  • DL Julius Turner
  • QB Noah Vedral

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Watch: former Rutgers football star Bo Melton makes a highlight play for the Seattle Seahawks in NFL preaseason action

Bo Melton had a nice NFL debut on Saturday night for the Seattle Seahawks.

It was a solid NFL debut for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bo Melton. The former Rutgers football and all-Big Ten selection had a nice day in Seattle’s preseason opener, a 32-25 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Melton led all Seahawks receivers with 47 receiving yards (on two catches).

The most impressive of the plays was this 39-yard catch-and-run on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. The former Rutgers star turned a simple rollout and what should have been a handful of yards into a big gain for his team.

Melton did a tremendous job breaking through an early tackle attempt, following his blocking down the field and turning what should have been a routine out-patten into a big play. Melton’s highlight was the key in an 11-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a Seahawks touchdown.

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The Seattle touchdown tied the game at 17-17.

 

A seventh-round pick of the Seahawks in this past spring’s NFL draft, Melton is in an ideal spot with the NFC West team and should challenge for an immediate role as part of the two-deep. Especially, if he can continue to make plays like the one he did on Saturday night.

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Melton is an intriguing addition to the Seahawks offense. Last season as part of a rebuilding offense, Melton had 618 receiving yards on 55 catches and three receiving touchdowns.

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