Max Melton – Syndication Server

Rookie CB excelling in role he won’t likely have for long

Melton is making progress as a defender but has been a great gunner on special teams.

Arizona Cardinals rookie Max Melton has become a dual threat with his progress at cornerback and also on special teams as one of the gunners on punt coverage.

His defensive snaps have increased throughout the season, although there were fewer in Sunday’s game against the Seahawks because of an illness that had him out of practice on the Thursday before the game.

He was back at practice Friday with full participation without an injury status, but was then downgraded to questionable early Sunday morning.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said what happened on game day was that Melton “woke up sick, ill. I think it actually started a little bit in the middle of the night, and then I honestly didn’t think he was going to be able to play. (He) kind of rebounded and could play. We got him in there though. I thought he played well on teams, especially well on teams. He played some snaps on defense.”

Melton explained his ordeal to Cards Wire noting that “I had full body aches, headaches, chills, sweating. My neck swelled up and I couldn’t eat, had weight drop. Literally everything that could go wrong with your body was going wrong. I was getting better until I woke up on the plane when we landed in Seattle and everything came back. That night at some more and felt a little better when I went to bed.

“When I woke up, it was crazy. But the doctors, they did a good job making sure I was good to play. By the time I hit the bus on the way to the stadium, I figured I could play. When I got to the stadium, I thought I could definitely play. Shout out to our medical staff; it was all them. By the time kickoff came, I felt like myself again and during the game, I was feeling great.”

His defensive snaps were 44 percent after playing 79, 100, 97 and 62 the previous four games.

Meanwhile, special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers loves the job Melton and Joey Blount are doing as gunners.

“When you have dominant gunner play, not that we’ve dominated all the time this season, (but) when you have dominant gunner play, you dictate to the return team that you’re either going to fair catch the ball or you’re going to do something about him. If you allocate resources to the outside, you don’t have as many things going on against the protection group. It certainly makes a difference when the gunners are playing well.

“And if they’ve got a skill set that mandates attention, that usually helps. And when you have two guys like that, now you got to make decisions because as special-teams coaches we’re in a unique position because we coach against players like Max and we have players like Max. So it’s what would we do against a player who’s playing really well at that position versus OK? Where’s the ball going? There are a lot of factors that play into it but having good gunners certainly helps your punter, your punt team, your field position all those things.”

Speaking of the punter, Blake Gillikin is excelling with a 49.5 average (11th in the NFL) and is tied for third in net average with AJ Cole of the Raiders at 44.3. Jacksonville’s Logan Cooke leads the league in net with 46.4 and Detroit’s Jack Fox is second at 46.1.

On 36 punts, Gillikin has 18 inside the 20, 12 have been fair catches, six were downed and only one resulted in a touchback.

Asked if he’s as consistent a punter as he’s ever coached, Rodgers said, “Yeah, I mean he’s had a good run; a good streak of games. His location, his hang time, his distance and he’s got a lot of things going for him. We gotta continue to cover it. We’ve gotta shore up some things protection-wise. I thought both gunners played really well in the game this week (and) Blake was pretty darn good.”

Against Seattle, he averaged 51.7 with a 50.2 net on six punts with four inside the 20 and four fair catches.

Rodgers also knows he likely won’t have Melton as a gunner for very long.

“Max is a really good player and he’s really fast,” Rodgers concluded. “He’s getting chances defensively and I think that he’s gonna progress and probably be a guy that won’t be playing gunner in the next few years. But that’s his role right now and he’s doing well.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

It’s a Melton family reunion in Green Bay this weekend

Cardinals rookie CB Max Melton could end up covering his older brother, Packers WR Bo Melton, on Sunday.

There’s one word that Arizona Cardinals rookie cornerback Max Melton uses to describe what will happen in Green Bay Sunday: “Mind-blowing.”

That’s because after growing up in South Jersey and attending Rutgers together, he and his brother Bo will be on opposite sides of the field and perhaps face each other when the Cardinals play the Packers.

“It’s truly amazing,” Max told Cards Wire. “Like we dreamed of this ever since we’ve played the game, ever since we’ve gone to each other’s games. We always thought that we would be here one day and now that it’s actually here, it’s mind-blowing.

“We just worked and it was so normal all that time and now we’re on the biggest stage in the world doing it. Like I said, it’s mind-blowing.”

The Meltons were a sports family. Their father Gary Sr. played football and his mom Vicky played basketball at Rutgers. Another brother Gary Jr. played at Delaware State.

The nicknames Bo (first name Miles) and Max (first name Malachi) were created by their dad, based on their middle names: Bokeem and Maxwell.

As for Gary “Paul” Jr., Gary Sr. told packers.com, “Their older brother (Gary Jr. is four years older than Bo), he probably set the standard with everything. He made them believe they can do the same thing.”

Gary Paul is now a probation officer in Cape May County in New Jersey.

Because Bo and Max are three years apart, there wasn’t a lot of overlap at Cedar Creek High School and Rutgers, but they were there for each other when Bo waited until being selected by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2022 draft and Max in the second round by the Cardinals last April.

Bo has carved out a backup receiver and special teams role with the Packers since being signed off Seattle’s practice squad in late December of 2022.

Last season, he had six receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown in a New Year’s Eve win over the Vikings. This season, he has played all five games and has two catches for 40 yards while also saving a turnover by recovering a Josh Jacobs fumble in Week 1 and then recovering a muffed punt at the 3-yard line in Week 4 against the Vikings. Both led to touchdowns.

After having a setback for about two weeks early in training camp because of a groin injury, Max’s reps have grown and he played a season-high 30 defensive snaps (50 percent) last Sunday against the 49ers.

He said, “I feel comfortable and my reps keep going up and I keep producing.”

Head coach Jonathan Gannon said this week, “When his technique is on, he can be really good, but there are certain plays we pointed out today with him. He’d be the first one to tell you that he’s got to make sure that that’s consistent. That’s their world out there. We ask our guys to do probably more than most on the mental side, so I don’t want to discredit the mental side, but if you really look at corner play there’s like five to eight techniques that you have to master because that’s what allows you to win your one-on-ones.

“I think he’s doing a good job of working on those techniques, getting better and being a technician, but the skillset is there. The want-to is there. The toughness is there. The mental is there. He just needs to play.”

As for Sunday, their parents, Gary Paul and sister Jasmine will be at the game along with more than 20 friends. Gary Sr. and Vicky had customized jerseys made that combines their jersey numbers, 16 for Max and 80 for Bo.

“To see that relationship, even to today, it still brings tears to my eyes,” Gary Sr. said. “I watched them play together. I watched them talk to each other. It’s not a surprise to us that Max gravitated towards Bo because they were close in age, but also, he wanted to compete with Bo. He knew that was going to make him better and look what happened.”

Those tears will also likely flow for Vicky, who told packers.com, “It’s very, very special. Mom’s gonna get teary-eyed. Just thinking about it I get teary-eyed. That’s just something that doesn’t happen very often. It’s a blessing.”

As for Gary Jr., he has one wish: “For me, I just hope they go against each other. Even like the Kelce family, their mom was over there like, ‘Hey, I don’t have to do much, but I just root for the offense.’ Well, my mom is in the position where she really has two sons that are literally playing the antithesis of each other at receiver and corner.

“Not only are (their teams) going against each other, but they’re really going against each other. It’s my hope once they’re in, depending on the side, that they’re actually head-to-head.”

To packers.com, Bo concluded, “It’s perfect timing. I just started playing and he just comes in. It’s no better story than I could ever paint.”

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Sub scribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

Matt LaFleur’s advice for Bo Melton before facing brother Max Melton: ‘Kick his ass’

Coach Matt LaFleur on Bo Melton facing little brother Max Melton on Sunday: “I was teasing Bo about, big brother’s gotta whoop up on little brother, so you gotta make it happen.”

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur knows a little something about facing a little brother. Just last week, LaFleur’s Packers beat the Los Angeles Rams, who have Mike LaFleur — Matt’s little brother — as their offensive coordinator.

So, what’s LaFleur’s advice for wide receiver Bo Melton before he faces little brother Max Melton on Sunday at Lambeau Field?

“Kick his ass,” LaFleur said Thursday while smiling.

Max Melton, a rookie, is a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals. With Bo playing snaps at receiver for LaFleur and Max handling perimeter snaps on defense for the Cardinals, it’s possible the two Meltons will be on the field together and competing against one another on Sunday.

LaFleur believes it would be a big-time battle between the Meltons.

“If Max Melton is anything like Bo Melton, which I think he is, just evaluating him during the draft process, I know he’s going to be the ultimate competitor,” LaFleur said.

And he wants big brother to impose his will.

“I was teasing Bo about, big brother’s gotta whoop up on little brother, so you gotta make it happen.”

Bo Melton latched on with the Packers in 2023 and emerged as a playmaker for LaFleur’s team down the stretch, producing a 100-yard receiving game in Week 17 and catching a touchdown pass in San Francisco during the postseason. Through five games in 2024, Melton has two catches for 40 yards and two rushes for eight yards.

The Cardinals made Max Melton the 43rd overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Both Melton brothers went to Rutgers and ended up as NFL draft picks. Who will write the next chapter in the Melton’s football journey? Sunday’s showdown at Lambeau Field provides a terrific opportunity.

For more on the Melton showdown, read Wes Hodkiewicz’s long-form story at Packers.com.

Cardinals have 2 injuries of note in loss to Bills

Right tackle Jonah Williams suffered a right knee injury and cornerback Max Melton was evaluated for a concussion.

The Arizona Cardinals lost on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills 34-28 and came out of it with two injuries of note.

One was right tackle Jonah Williams and the other was rookie cornerback Max Melton.

Williams injured his right knee in the second quarter just before the Cardinals kicked a 29-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead and had to be helped off the field.

He was initially ruled questionable to return and then downgraded to out.

After the game, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss noted he had a brace on his right knee, and head coach Jonathan Gannon didn’t have any updates beyond the knowledge he injured his knee.

Gannon also said that Melton was being evaluated for a concussion but had no more information beyond that. Unless he is immediately cleared, he will enter league concussion protocol.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Sub scribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals 2nd-round CB Max Melton named boom-or-bust rookie candidate

Of the five most boom-or-bust draft picks entering 2024, Arizona second-round CB Max Melton is a guy to watch.

The Arizona Cardinals feel good about their rookie class of 12 draft picks. They feel they have players who can both contribute now and potentially be long-term contributors.

But every prospect comes with some risk. Some have a greater potential for greatness and some players are labeled as boom-or-bust.

Draft Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon recently wrote about five high-variance draft picks who could be great or could be absolute busts, based on some of their college inconsistencies.

Cornerback Max Melton, drafted by the Cardinals in the second round, is one of those players.

Melton ran the gamut of hot and cold in one game last fall. In Rutgers’ trip to Michigan, a game I saw in person, he was often the best Scarlet Knights defender on the field. He mirrored routes well, showing fluid feet, aggressively disciplined run defense and good instincts for like 80 percent of the game. I had little doubt I was watching a first-round talent…

…except for the other 20 percent. For whatever reason, or perhaps no reason at all, Melton’s confidence and technique just vanished in the raucous Big House. He overestimated his own speed on one trail coverage assignment and got beaten for a key (at the time) first down. A lackadaisical tackle attempt here, a poor job of fighting off a block there, a miscue in guessing wrong on another route; there were some plays in this game where Melton nullified all my positive notes.

There was some inconsistent play across other games on Melton’s résumé, too. The 2023 opener against Boston College was rough, but Melton’s coverage performance at Ohio State was very impressive. Even at Senior Bowl practices, Melton fluctuated in his performances.

Melton has a strong chance of earning a starting outside CB role right away in Arizona. I suspect the Cardinals will have to live with some rough patches and not get too dissuaded from the stretches where their second-round rookie looks outstanding.

Melton has a shot at being a starter as a rookie. They have had rookies start before. Four different rookies started at cornerback last season. They dealt with Byron Murphy’s growing pains in 2019. They played Marco Wilson in his rookie season.

Arizona obviously hopes Melton is more boom than bust. But with several cornerbacks in the room he must compete with to get on the field, hopefully his play in the NFL has less variance than in college.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Packers WR Bo Melton can’t wait to face brother Max Melton in Week 6

Week 6 at Lambeau Field will be the Green Bay Packers vs. the Arizona Cardinals but also Melton vs. Melton.

Bo Melton, the Packers’ third-year wide receiver, will get a chance to face Max Melton, the Cardinals’ second-round pick at cornerback, on Sunday, Oct. 13 in Green Bay.

The older Melton can’t wait to face younger brother.

“I knew we played (the Cardinals) this year, but I was looking forward to when we were going to play them. When I saw Week 6, I’m like, alright, it’s going to be good,” Melton said Tuesday. “No more backyard anymore. Big stage. He’s going to be ready for it, and I’m definitely going to be ready for sure.”

Melton said he typically trained with his brother during the offseason, and they often faced each other one-on-one in practices at Rutgers.

“It’s going to be different seeing him on the other side but it’s going to be fun for sure,” Melton said. “He’s competitive…I used to get him all the time, he got me a couple times when he got a little older. Definitely ready for Week 6, for sure.”

Bo’s advice to Max entering the NFL? Keep grinding. A seventh-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, Bo landed on the practice squad as a rookie but eventually blossomed after arriving in Green Bay. Now, he’s on track to be a legitimate weapon in the Packers passing game in 2024.

The two Meltons, who, as kids, would create their own players in Madden with the goal of making the NFL, are now both in the league and ready to attack their opportunities.

“To finally make it was definitely a blessing. We’re happy to be here. I know he’s happy to be here. We’re just going to keep working,” Melton said.

Max went to the Cardinals with the No. 43 overall pick in the 2024 draft. Bo said he had a feeling Max would go to Arizona after he took a pre-draft visit there.

“I was extremely happy,” Melton said. “He went to an official visit to Arizona, so when I saw them on the clock, man, they’re going to call him. They called him. My family was crying. They were excited. I’m really excited to see him. We play them Week 6, so definitely excited to see him there too.”

The NFL journey comes full circle for the Meltons on Oct. 13 at Lambeau Field.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Best defensive scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft

From the Cardinals’ new secondary to cornerback talent for the Eagles and Lions, Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar get into the best scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft.

When teams select players in the draft, they’re not just basing those picks on the prospects’ athletic attributes — they’re also looking at how those prospects fit in the structures of their schemes.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” Greg (of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup) and Doug (of Touchdown Wire and the USA Today Sports Media Group) discuss their favorite defensive scheme firs from the 2024 NFL draft. Greg and Doug already discussed their favorite offensive scheme fits in this draft, and you can find that right here.

The Arizona Cardinals’ secondary with cornerbacks Elijah Jones and Max Melton, and safety Dadrian Taylor-Demerson;
The Detroit Lions’ cornerback group with Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.;
The Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary with cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and defensive back Cooper DeJean;
The Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line with DL Marshawn Kneeland;
The Buffalo Bills’ secondary with safety Cole Bishop;
The Green Bay Packers’ safeties with Javon Bullard and Kitan Oladapo;
The San Francisco 49ers’ secondary with Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

What did Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon say about Max Melton’s camp showing?

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon praises Max Melton.

During the process leading up to the NFL draft, the Arizona Cardinals were impressed with the physicality that defensive back Max Melton showed during his time at Rutgers.

And that tenacity helped land the All-Big Ten performer at Rutgers with the Cardinals in the second round.

Melton finished his four years at Rutgers with 113 total tackles, eight interceptions, 20 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries in 43 games. He was selected to multiple All-Big Ten teams during his Scarlet Knights career.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon spoke last week about what Melton stand out in the process leading up to his selection at No. 43 overall.

“He plays with a certain amount of violence – that was one thing that attracted us on his tape,” Gannon told reporters last week.

“That’s one of the things he likes and is good at and I’m sure he’ll want to put all full gear on but not today.”

#AZCardinals rookie mini-camp is today and CB Max Melton told us yesterday he’s ready to put on the pads already.

JG says can wait 😂 pic.twitter.com/R5vRuM1r40

— Donnie Druin (@DonnieDruin) May 10, 2024

Gannon is set for his second season with the Cardinals following a 4-13 year in 2023.

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Melton comes to a spot with Arizona where he projects to see plenty of playing time. Last week, NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger spoke about Melton and compared him to an All-Pro cornerback who is one of the best in the league:

“I mean, he just loves to compete. And honestly, when I watch him, he reminds me of a very young Darius Slay – they are almost identical in all their measurements,” Baldinger told Rutgers Wire in an interview last week.

“Max….is not as tall but every bit as fast. I mean all the measurables are very, very consistent and when I watched Darius as a young player in Detroit, I remember how aggressive. He wasn’t the tackler that Max is but he would challenge any receiver. If he was scrimmaging Pittsburgh he wanted Antonio Brown every play. So that’s kind of what it reminds me of Max = he wants their number one receiver inside, outside, wherever you are. And I think that’s what Arizona was getting. I think that’s what they liked about him.”

Contract details for CB Max Melton, the Cardinals’ 2nd-round picks

We have the terms of the four-year contract for the Cardinals’ second-round pick, cornerback Max Melton.

The Arizona Cardinals selected 12 players in the draft nearly three weeks ago and of the 257 total picked in the three-day event, through Tuesday 162 have already officially signed contracts submitted to the league. That leaves only 95 unsigned.

The Cardinals have now signed eight of their 12 picks after announcing deals Tuesday with cornerback Max Melton (second round, No. 43 overall) and guard Isaiah Adams (third round, No. 71 overall).

Card Wire has learned the four-year contract terms for Melton, but the same-length contract for Adams is not available yet.

Melton’s contract is worth $8,888,308 that has $6,931,266 guaranteed, including a $3,284,224 signing bonus.

The base salaries are $795,000 this year; $1,199,014 in 2025; $1,603,028 in 2026 and $2,007,042 in 2027. The first three years of base salaries are fully guaranteed, while $50,000 is guaranteed in 2027.

If Melton is still on the team that year, his salary will likely increase to whatever the lowest tender is for restricted free agents. This year, that figure is $2.985 million.

There are no split salaries in the contract, so Melton will receive his entire base salary if he winds up on injured reserve.

The salary cap charge this year for Melton is $1,616,056. That results in an immediate net cap of about $600,000 because his signing pushes a contract worth around $1 million in cap space out of the top 51.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Cardinals sign 2 more draft picks

The Cardinals are now down to four of their 12 draft picks left to be signed.

The Arizona Cardinals announced two more draft pick signings. They announced that cornerback Max Melton, selected 43rd overall as the Cardinals’ second round pick, and offensive lineman Isaiah Adams, selected in the third round with the 71st overall pick, signed their rookie contracts.

Their deals are for four year, as all rookie contracts are.

Melton, who played collegiately at Rutgers, is 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds with long 32 1/8-inch arms and a 76 5/8-inch wingspan. He has speed an athleticism to spare. He ran the 40 at the combine in 4.39 seconds and posted a 40.5-inch vertical leap and 136-inch broad jump. At his pro day, he ran the three-cone in 6.96 seconds.

Last season, he had three interceptions and picked off eight over the last three seasons. He broke up 21 passes in three seasons.

In addition to his play at cornerback, he also was a star special teamer. He was a starting gunner on the punt team for four seasons and blocked four punts in his career, including three in 2022.

The Cardinals have now signed eight of their 12 picks.

Who is officially under contract?

Melton (second-round pick)
Adams (third-round pick)
TE Tip Reiman (third-round pick)
CB Elijah Jones (third-round pick)
OLB Xavier Thomas (fifth-round pick)
OL Christian Jones (fifth-round pick)
WR Tejhaun Palmer (sixth-round pick)
CB Jaden Davis (seventh-round pick)

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.