The Bengals made a few eye-catching calls with their Sunday inactives against the Buccaneers, and the biggest one puts Dohnte Meyers in line for a meaningful role right away.
Meyers, one of Cincinnati’s training camp standouts, is active for the opener after turning heads all summer and flashing even more in the preseason. He’s also expected to handle the team’s primary kick return duties with Ke’Shawn Williams inactive.
That’s a notable shift, especially considering Williams is the more established return option. But the Bengals are clearly betting on what Meyers can give them as a receiver, too. The upside is obvious, and the team is willing to live with the risk.
Meyers had a strong reaction when he learned he made the 53-man roster. "That was a nice surprise when I came in this morning, I've got my boys next to me, it's gonna be a nice year," Meyers said after learning that he made the 53-man roster.
"Competing, playing out there in front of Cincinnati. I know we open up in Orange, nobody knows this but orange is my favorite color, when I found out the news I was ecstatic."
Cincinnati is also giving rookie wideout Colbie Young his NFL debut. Young was another preseason performer who made enough of an impression to earn a spot on the active roster, and he joins Meyers as a young receiver the Bengals may be able to use sooner rather than later.
On the offensive line, the Bengals are going with Jacob Bayer at center and keeping fourth-round pick Connor Lew inactive. Bayer impressed throughout camp and preseason, and he’ll back up Ted Karras on Sunday.
The rest of the inactive list includes Josh Newton, Myles Hinton, Jack Endries, Shemar Stewart and Landon Robinson. Stewart is still working back from a knee injury, while the others are healthy.
Cincinnati also elevated Tanner Hudson and Joe Giles-Harris from the practice squad on Saturday. Hudson, one of Joe Burrow’s favorite targets, is now the Bengals’ fourth active tight end behind Mike Gesicki, Drew Sample and Erick All Jr.
Giles-Harris adds depth at linebacker and brings special teams value as the fifth man in that room. He’ll join Swayze Bozeman as the two specialists behind Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight and Oren Burks.
With Meyers and Young active, the Bengals now have five wide receivers they trust on offense: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Meyers and Young. Add Gesicki and Hudson, and Burrow has two more pass catchers he trusts.
The Bengals are trying to open the season with back-to-back wins in Week 1 for the first time in the Burrow era.
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