Bengals’ roster hopeful is making all the right impressions to continue a Cincinnati tradition specific to his position
It’s become an almost annual tradition for a previously unknown wide receiver to make a name for himself during Cincinnati Bengal training camp. Wide receiver Dohnte Meyers looks like he’s got next.
It’s become almost an annual tradition for a previously unknown wide receiver to make a name for himself during Cincinnati Bengal training camp. Dohnte Meyers looks like he’s got next.
Meyers, who signed with the team all the way back in January after playing two years for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, has been busy been making the most of his opportunities during his first NFL camp. The 26-year-old has mainly been working with the second-team offense, and handling punt returns behind fellow receivers Charlie Jones and Ke’Shawn Williams.
It’s a progression Bengals fans have seen before with Mitchell Tinsley, Damion Willis, and Alex Erickson to name a few. Is Meyers on track to making the 53-man roster like those who came before him? Early indicators say he has a legit shot.
Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher impressed with Dohnte Meyers
Cincinnati’s offense coordinator Dan Pitcher knows the next three weeks is going to be very tight at the bottom of the receiver room. Meyers has to keep fending off incumbents Kendric Pryor, Jordan Moore, and Xavier Johnson along with rookie undrafted free agent Noah Thomas just to continue competing against Jones and Williams. There are so many wideouts gunning for what will likely be the sixth and final spot for a receiver on the 53.
There’s much work to be done in the upcoming three preseason games for Meyers, but Pitcher is giving him the thumbs up thus far.
“Pleased with Dohnte. He’s going to be one of those guys that is going to have to do whatever he possibly can to help the football team, not only for us but for Darrin,” Pitcher told Bengals.com’s Geoff Hobson. “But there’s a lot to like there about Dohnte. He’s diligent. He cares. He’s got real juice. He can separate, and he catches the ball well. So he’s just got to stack days, and then when he gets a chance, make the plays. And I think for the most part, he’s done that.”
The scouting report on Meyers did not lie
Pitcher wasn’t really involved with bringing in Meyers in the first place. The credit can be found next to scouting executive Andrew Johnson’s name. Johnson is responsible for keeping tabs on other pro leagues, including the CFL, and the original word he receieved about Meyers matches what the Bengals have seen this offseason.
“Dohnte came highly recommended from some people in the CFL that I know and trust well,” Johnson told Hobson. “We’ve seen everything that they told me about him as a worker, as a person. All the kid has done since the offseason program in April is just show up and work. He’s been a tremendous addition to our team.”
What Meyers needs to do going forward
Much like Tinsley last year, who assigned in the winter and slowly, but surely worked his way at the death chart throughout the spring and summer, Meyers needs to translate what he’s done on the practice field to the preseason.
The first two games are going to be incredibly important for him to stand out as both the past catcher and potentially a punt returner. Opportunities regarding the latter may be limited depending on how the Bengals defense fares, but but whatever he gets, he needs to shine.
Meyers is firmly in the conversation to exit the preseason with a job. It’s simply about building off the momentum he’s noticeably created, very much like his predecessors in recent years.
