Wide receiver Dohnte Meyers goes from Canadian Football League to the Bengals roster

CINCINNATI (AP) — Last year, wide receiver Dohnte Meyers was just hoping to get established in the Canadian Football League.

Now, he’s on the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster to start the regular season.

“He has earned his way, that is for sure,” coach Zac Taylor said. “He just continued to make plays over and over again. We weren’t dialing stuff up for him. That is how you make it, really. When the opportunity comes your way, you have to make the most of it.”

Meyers started his career at FCS Presbyterian College on an academic scholarship. After having success at that level, he transferred to Division II Delta State University. Meyers did enough at Delta State to earn an invite to Atlanta Falcons rookie camp in 2023, but that was only three days and a few reps here and there. He couldn’t get his foot back in the door in the NFL at the time, so he went to every workout for every league he could find.

Meyers ended up paying his way to work out in the Canadian Football League.

“I wanted to do any opportunity available for me and let the chips fall where they may,” Meyers said. “Do every workout available and go from there.”

Meyers broke out with Saskatchewan in 2025, getting the attention of the Bengals. He had 65 receptions for 1,056 yards and eight touchdowns as the Roughriders won the Grey Cup title.

He signed with Cincinnati in January in a transaction that didn’t receive much attention. He opened offseason workouts near the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart.

Day by day, Meyers worked his way up and made plays. He showed enough to earn a spot on the Bengals.

“He has shown with the ball in his hands he can be really good,” Taylor said. “He can create separation and he has a good feel. I have been really pleased with the camp he has had, and we will just continue to figure out how that works into our game plan as we go forward.”

Meyers doesn’t consider himself a rookie. He has multiple years of pro experience in the CFL, and has felt that experience prepared him for the opportunity he has now.

“It’s something I’m accustomed to, being a pro for two years,” Meyers said. “How we do things here is different. There’s a different level or preparation and intent.”

As well as he played in training camp and the preseason, Meyers had to go through the stress of cutdown day on Sunday. He learned that he had made the team in a phone call with receivers coach Troy Walters.

“I was trying to just stay grounded,” Meyers said. “I was trying to relax. Not get too anxious. Be present and take in every moment.”

He says that his journey is just getting started. Meyers is on the team, but now he’s out to prove that he’s ready for more snaps, more targets and a bigger role on a team with one of the best receiver groups in the NFL.

“We will continue to see where we can utilize him in the return game,” Taylor said. “We will continue to see where we can utilize him as a receiver. It is a tough lineup to crack.”

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