Dohnte Meyers is making a very loud case for himself in Bengals preseason football.
After another strong showing in Saturday’s win over the Chicago Bears, the former CFL wideout has put himself on a real path to the 53-man roster. He’s been useful in every phase the Bengals have asked of him, whether that’s running routes, carrying the ball, or helping as a return man on kickoffs and punts. That kind of versatility stands out fast, and Charlie Jones should be paying attention.
The fit is what makes Meyers so interesting. Cincinnati’s receiver room already has Ja’Marr Chase, who is arguably the best wide receiver on the planet, along with Tee Higgins, Colbie Young, and Andrei Iosivas.
But those bigger-bodied targets are built more for work on the boundary. Iosivas looks like the clear WR3, and Young, at 6 ‘5”, brings a perimeter presence of his own.
Meyers, at 5’11” and 186 pounds, offers something different: a skill set that plays much better inside.
That matters for this offense. Meyers can work the slot, get up the seam, and win on option routes underneath and between the numbers.
He’s the kind of player who can take advantage when Chase and Higgins are drawing extra attention, giving Joe Burrow another reliable target when defenses tilt toward Cincinnati’s top two receivers. He doesn’t need to be the headline act to matter.
That’s why keeping him around starts to look like the obvious move. Jones has done very little on offense through three full seasons, and the argument for hanging onto him based on special teams value isn’t strong enough to ignore what Meyers is showing right now. The Bengals have to decide whether they want to be tied to prior draft picks or keep the player who is making the strongest current case.
Mitchell Tinsley has also been part of the conversation. He was excellent in preseason and training camp last year, then caught just eight of his 24 targets when the games counted in 2025. He flashed again against Chicago and has strong ball skills, but in terms of fitting this offense, he doesn’t line up as well as Meyers because of Meyers’ quickness and ability to work from the slot.
The buzz around Meyers is real. Fans are all over him, and plenty of the more credible Bengals content creators aren’t pushing back on the idea that he belongs on the roster.
He was already a player to watch back in June, but this surge has gone beyond expectation. Right now, he looks like the new darling of Bengals preseason football.
In Other News...
Bengals Future Left Tackle Answer May Already Be Taking Shape
The Bengals long-term search for a left tackle is already starting to look ahead to the 2027 draft, and that class is shaping up as a promising place to hunt. CBS Sports writer Mike Renner recently labeled the offensive tackle group as a strong one, pointing to several prospects who could land in the top rounds and giving the Cincinnati front office a future pool worth monitoring.
Jordan Seaton and Lance Heard are among the names already surfacing as possible fits, with Renner breaking down what each player has shown in college and where the rough edges still are. For a Bengals team expected to keep left tackle on the shopping list, that kind of early evaluation matters, because the answer to a major roster question may be closer to arriving than it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Win Couldnt Hide One Roster Concern As Cuts Near
The Bengals preseason win over the Bears on Aug. 22 gave Zac Taylor a look at the bottom of the roster after he chose not to play his starters following the joint practice, and it also sharpened the focus on one of the teams biggest remaining concerns. The offense held up well enough to finish the night with a victory, but the tackle spots were a problem area, with veterans Cody Ford and Jalen Rivers both having rough outings.
Dohnte Meyers was one of the bright spots, making five catches and adding work on kick and punt returns to strengthen his case as cuts approach. Still, for a Cincinnati team trying to sort out the final pieces of its roster, the performance up front left more questions than answers, especially with depth at offensive tackle now looking like a position the front office will have to keep weighing carefully. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Preseason Win Just Fueled Some Tough Roster Battles
The Bengals second preseason game brought plenty of encouraging tape from a 27-9 win over the Bears, and it also sharpened a few roster conversations that were already simmering. Cincinnati got useful work from players trying to carve out roles, with Colbie Young, Dohnte Meyers, Josh Johnson and Tanner Hudson among those drawing attention in the evaluative breakdown, while Landon Robinson also stood out in the kind of performance coaches notice this time of year.
On the other side of the ball, Al Goldens defense continued to give the staff something to build on, and Evan McPherson added his own reassuring touch in a game that had the Bengals looking deeper than the final score. Preseason wins are never just about the scoreboard, but nights like this tend to leave a lasting impression when the back end of the roster starts coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]