Bucs LOOK Slimmer Desmond Watson Shows Up at Camp
If Tampa Bay Buccaneers' new defensive tackle Desmond Watson takes the field in a regular season game in 2025, he'll still be the largest player to ever do so. That's after an astonishing 27-pound weight loss since his college days at Florida.
Watson was signed by the Bucs as an undrafted free agent after clearing the NFL Draft earlier this month without his name being called.
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He's 6-6 and still 437 pounds, so if you're at rookie minicamp this weekend, you can't miss him. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
It'll be a long shot for Watson to make the roster, but he'll have some help in camp this summer with two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea playing alongside him. Vea is a bit smaller at 6-4, 347 pounds, but his similar size and athleticism could be of benefit to Watson's summer.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted Watson's size and strength in his pre-draft profile.
"Watson can gather and occupy double-teams without losing his gap and is strong enough to shed single blocks fairly quickly," Zierlein wrote. "However, he lacks consistency in attacking blocking schemes and controlling blockers with hand quickness as a two-gapper. Watson has the size and strength to play for an odd-front unit as a nose tackle, but managing his weight will have to be a priority for the team that adds him."
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Watson can use his size and strength to his advantage in some run-stopping situations, but can also be a liability in pass-rush situations.
Related: Derek Carr Breaking News Means Major NFC South Change
Related: Buccaneers' 'A-Plus' Rookie Solves 2 Major Worries
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