Cincinnati Bengals football has officially returned, at least in preseason action.
The Bengals kicked off their first preseason action with a 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions at Paycor Stadium.
The game marked the first opportunity for fans to see some of the team’s new acquisitions in action, as well as the return of their stars. While the team’s starters and franchise cornerstones saw limited action on Thursday night, there were some positive takeaways for Cincinnati.
Additionally, the game also marked an opportunity for some of the players on the roster bubble to make their mark. Now, after the game, one of those players who’s trying to make the 53-man roster received a strong message from quarterback Joe Burrow.
Joe Burrow Shares True Feelings on Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver
Wide receiver Dohnte Meyers, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason after spending the past two years in the Canadian Football League, saw his first NFL action on Thursday.
Meyers ended the game as Cincinnati’s leading receiver with three receptions for 29 yards on four targets. He added one run for 13 yards.
After the game, Burrow said of Meyers, “Dohnte looked really good. He’s looked good all camp. … He just loves ball. The week before training camp, I texted him, ‘Hey, are you in town?’ He’s like, ‘I can be.’ I was like, ‘Can you be here tomorrow at 11?’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’ Come to find out he drove from Atlanta that night to be there to throw the next day.”
Burrow added, “That’s the kind of guy that he is. He’s had a great camp. He’s quick, shifty, understands what we’re trying to do. He’s played a lot in the CFL. … He’s got a lot of reps under his belt. He’s a guy that we’ve seen a lot out of.”
Meyers’ path to the NFL was not an easy one. After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Meyers attended a tryout with the Falcons, but failed to secure a spot on the roster. In 2024, Meyers arrived in the CFL and made a limited impact as he appeared in only four games for the Roughriders.
Meyers then took off in the 2025 season as he totaled 1,056 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named a CFL-West All-Star. Additionally, he helped the Roughriders win the CFL Championship.
Dohnte Meyers’ Roster Possibilities
After signing a reserve/future contract with the Bengals this offseason, the chances of him making the team’s roster appeared slim, especially on a team that already features Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at wide receiver.
However, after impressing during training camp and in his first preseason action, it appears that he’s got a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster. Regarding his performance against Detroit, Bengals Wire’s Chris Roling wrote of Meyers: “Almost as expected at this point, Dohnte Meyers looked great out there against backups. He’s basically a lock for the final roster.”
Meanwhile, A to Z Sports’ John Sheeran said of Meyers: “It wasn’t a breathtaking performance from Meyers, but it was a good data point for his case to make the 53-man roster. What’s really going to help him is by proving both reliable and explosive as a returner. Meyers had the longest punt return of the night when he amassed 11 yards on his first attempt. He fair-caught his second.”
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