Dohnte Meyers is about to get his first NFL snaps, and the route he took to this moment is the kind of story that usually lives somewhere between improbable and unbelievable.
The 26-year-old will suit up Thursday night when the Cincinnati Bengals open the preseason against the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium. He arrived in Cincinnati on a reserve/futures contract in January after a strong run in the Canadian Football League, and he has spent training camp forcing his way into the conversation. Over the last 10 practices, Meyers has repeatedly made plays, drawing notice for his separation, his hands and the way he tracks the football.
That climb started far from the usual NFL pipeline. Meyers was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school in Georgia.
He began at Presbyterian, then moved on to Division II Delta State, where he put up solid numbers but still went undrafted in 2023. With NFL interest scarce, he built his days around staying in shape and staying available.
He trained in the morning and afternoon, handled recovery, then worked DoorDash deliveries until 2 or 3 a.m. Before doing it all again the next day, he said, “I structured my whole life around pursuing a dream,” he later explained.
His opening came from a $100 open tryout with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He turned that shot into a contract, played through a broken wrist and developed into a productive receiver. In 2025, he caught 65 passes for 1,056 yards and eight touchdowns, averaged 16.2 yards per catch, returned kicks and helped the team win the Grey Cup.
That production got the Bengals’ attention. Scouting executive Andrew Johnson had been tracking players in other professional leagues and brought Meyers in for a workout. Not long after, Meyers had his chance in Cincinnati.
The challenge now is turning camp momentum into a roster spot. The Bengals have a deep receiver room, so making the 53-man roster will mean adding value beyond the offense’s main rotation.
That makes special teams a major piece of the puzzle in Thursday’s preseason opener, especially with the return job still unsettled. Charlie Jones has handled most of those duties in recent seasons, while Ke’Shawn Williams and others are also in the mix.
Meyers brings a résumé that fits that fight. In the CFL last year, he averaged 29 yards on kickoff returns and 10.4 yards on punt returns.
Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher has praised his ability to create separation and his reliable hands, and head coach Zac Taylor said the team hasn’t had to force opportunities for him. Meyers just keeps finding his way around the ball.
Thursday night gives him the biggest stage yet. A strong debut as a receiver or returner could move the long shot a step closer to the roster. For a former delivery driver who has already outlasted the odds, that would be another sharp turn in a career that keeps going places few would have predicted.
In Other News...
Boye Mafe Is Already Changing More Than The Bengals Pass Rush
The Bengals brought in Boye Mafe this offseason to give their pass rush and defensive front a needed boost, and early in camp he has already started to look like more than just another addition. Myles Murphy has taken notice of Mafes high football IQ and the veteran presence he brings, calling out the way he has fit into the room and helped set a sharper tone during practices.
Murphy has also been part of that stronger showing on the field, with both players standing out in camp and giving Cincinnati a more confident look up front. For a defense that wanted more consistency and disruption, Mafes impact appears to be reaching beyond the obvious box score benefits, giving the Bengals a steadier edge as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Evan McPherson May Be Giving Bengals Exactly What They Need
Evan McPhersons camp has opened the way the Bengals would have hoped after a season in which the kicker still showed plenty of touch but left a little room for doubt. He enters 2026 coming off a strong 2025 campaign, and so far in training camp he has been clean across the board, with the operation around him looking smooth thanks to punter/holder Ryan Rehkow and long snapper William Wagner.
The encouraging part for Cincinnati is not just the consistency, but the range McPherson has flashed while doing it. He has already hit from 65 yards in practice, a reminder of how valuable he can be when the offense stalls or games tighten late, and it gives the Bengals reason to believe there may still be another level to find after some past inconsistency. [Read more 🡒]
Ja'Marr Chase Sees A Different Edge In Joe Burrow This Year
Joe Burrows numbers in 2024 already put him in the thick of the MVP conversation, but the more interesting part for the Bengals might be what JaMarr Chase is seeing from his quarterback away from the stat sheet. Chase said in an interview that he wants to chase an NFL touchdown record, and he pointed to a different kind of edge from Burrow this offseason, one that feels more aggressive and more demanding than before.
For Cincinnati, that kind of internal push matters because Burrow and Chase remain tightly linked to everything the offense wants to become. If Burrow is driving the standard higher in the spring and summer, and Chase is setting his sights on something historic, the Bengals can at least feel good about the competitive tone heading into the next season. The bigger question, as always, is how far that edge can carry them once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]