Desmond Watson Wanted In Bucs’ Future
August 19th, 2025
It seems like No. 56 is closer to practicing.
Todd Bowles shifted course a bit and was somewhat upbeat today about the Bucs future of rookie defensive tackle Desmond Watson, the former Florida Gator.
Watson hasn’t practiced all training camp because the Bucs want him at a lower weight. How much he weighs is unclear. Watson measured 6-5, 464 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. There were reports that he was down to around 430 in the spring, but whatever he weighed when reporting to Bucs training camp was unacceptable to the team.
Joe was told that like every player on the roster, Watson was given a reasonable weight range in which to report to camp. He didn’t hit the mark. So he’s not been practicing, but Watson is in meetings, traveled with the club to Pittsburgh and his seen at practices walking laps and watching drills.
Today, Bowles said a decision will be made soon on Watson and it sounds like the head coach wants him on the practice squad.
“I’d like to have some long term plans for him going forward because he’s making some progress and I feel like down the road he can help us,” Bowles said. “But we’ll have those conversations toward the end of the week.”
Joe’s rooting for Watson, but the Bucs certainly don’t need him. Depth is strong at defensive tackle. But the Bucs know the young man, and if they think he’s a worthwhile project, then that’s what the practice squad is for.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
I’m rooting for him too, more as a healthy human than football player.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
No need to put him on the PS.
Teams are not going to be going after him.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
If anything, let him loose on the Bills for every snap to see what kind of damage he can do. Worse case scenario he gets injured and goes on IRR so we keep him anyway and can work on weight loss. Best scenario is he is a monster and other teams coming calling for our massive wrecking ball LOL
August 19th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
I am rooting for Dez too!
Agree with First Last. Put him in on Saturday night and see what he does.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
@First “for every snap” hahahaha……….he would have a stroke after the 3rd snap.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:25 pm
Hope he makes it. It would be a blast to see him line up next to Vea. Practice squad and a year of ozempic should do the trick as long as he stays away from 7/11. lol.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Put him on the PS and then wait til we play Philly to activate him for one game. Like to see the “tush push” beat Watson and Vea. Just for the fun of it.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Put him and Vea behind Baker and see if there’s a defense out there that can stop them from getting a couple yards.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Yep, I’m hoping if he’s good enough to play in the NFL that the BUCS can get through to him & get him to sa healthy place . I don’t even remember him playing in college but I wasn’t a fla fan so I don’t know how well he w as able tto.adapt to the game.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Yep, I’m hoping if he’s good enough to play in the NFL that the BUCS can get through to him & get him to sa healthy place . I don’t even remember him playing in college but I wasn’t a fla fan so I don’t know how well he w as able tto.adapt to the game.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:41 pm
All he has to do is keep on working, I’d like to hear more about the plan the training staff has for him. Probably has more to do with his bmi than what the scale says. We want Watson in shape, not just lighter in terms of his weight. Rooting for him the same way I’d root for any long shot worth keeping whether it be now or somewhere along the line.
What really works for us is the program we have in place, and Greg Gaines who himself is looking like a unit out there in what I’ve see in the preseason and he’s just a depth guy.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
I’m rooting for him to improve his health. I totally disagree with Joe about our DL depth, the depth is poor and I don’t see it getting any better. Our starters are fine but when they sub out I see opponents taking advantage.
August 19th, 2025 at 12:59 pm
I hope he makes it and doesn’t blow the opportunity he has.
August 19th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Again, why waste a PS spot? Other than we already paid him some cash?
He’s from here.. he can work on himself and the Bucs can still sign him. With signed waiver or two he can keep working with Bucs staff.
I’m pulling for him too, but no team is gonna beat the door down for him in his current condition.
August 19th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Been concerned for his health from the moment he showed up in Gainesville.
He’s carried way too much weight for his own good from day #1. Based on what we heard on the outside, UF wanted him to lose weight & get healthy and did everything they could (or so UF thought) to encourage him to lose weight, to no avail.
I wish the Bucs luck. He’s running out of time – “getting healthy” becomes progressively more difficult as one ages.
August 19th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
put him on the PS…
im rooting for the kid!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
August 19th, 2025 at 1:51 pm
He took the trip to Pittsburgh, but the jet barely got off the ground, and couldn’t climb to 30,000 feet!
August 19th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
It’s clear he likes to eat. And eat and eat. He needs to be reminded that his life is dependent upon losing weight.
August 19th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Get this kid on Ozempic, and he’ll start shedding the pounds. Why he can’t control his eating, I have no idea, and I don’t care, but we finally have the amazing incredible weight loss pill that’s been talked about for longer than I’ve been alive, and they’re just refusing to use it for some unknown reason. Give the kid a chance, and maybe once he’s down several skin folds, doesn’t see a blimp in the mirror, perhaps then something will click for him.
Also, think of the endorsement money. Go get a film crew to document the whole thing, he’ll make a fortune on endorsements when he’s 190lbs in 2 years.
August 19th, 2025 at 2:52 pm
That’s his problem he can only play 3-4 plays in a row tops
August 19th, 2025 at 2:58 pm
It takes longer than a single spring to shed lifelong habits and 100 pounds.
DL depth is seriously lacking, imo. Gaines is okay, but after that it worries me.
August 19th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
He needs to hit the laps in the pool
August 19th, 2025 at 3:37 pm
who’s behind Vea and Gaines? move roberts there? move kancey there? not looking super deep at DT, if you mean NT
August 19th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Practice squad is a good spot for him.
August 19th, 2025 at 4:20 pm
@Rod Munch… all jokes aside, I agree… there are weight loss solutions combined with his access to the resources the Bucs have in their facilities, which I’m assuming are dietitians and personal trainers. I’m a little surprised he hasn’t done better.
Unfortunately, he could have hit his mark and yet he’d still have problems whether or now or next season. A kid his size is suffering psychologically. He needs serious help there if he’s going to maintain any sort of weight loss goals. It’s a shame that millions of dollars are on the line and he’s psych issue he’s not going to easily shake.
August 19th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
I am all in for Desmond Watson. I even agree that it would be a good idea to put him in the game this weekend to see where he’s at in ability. Put in a couple of defense series in first half and then a couple more in the second half. Then evaluate his performance for strength, effectiveness, endurance. Maybe even with all the exercise he maybe at his weight. Maybe all he needs is conditioning and some Ozempic. Bucs fan for rooting for D. Watson and the Bucs Defense. Also, I like that the Bucs are taking a public stance on D. Watson. It is a coaching change and improvement in transparency. Go Bucs, Go Bucs.
August 19th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Bucs medical team is the best. Here’s a guy with a common, bona fide weight management disorder, and they are fixing him up with flying colors.
Oh, wait. Or, weight.
August 19th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
“who’s behind Vea and Gaines? move roberts there? move kancey there? not looking super deep at DT, if you mean NT“
Logan Hall-v
Elijah Roberts-v
Greg Gaines
CJ Brewer
Mike Green
Eric Banks
Adam Gostis
Nash Hutchmacher
D’Von J Thomas
The players almost no Bucs fans have been paying attention to, but will claim we don’t have depth. We’ve got guys here and they’re all role player candidates. Our only true NT is Vea and maybe Gaines, but seeing how we line up with a 4-man front about 70% of the time outside of our base D and bear D NT as a position isn’t that important.
They’re all effectively used as DTs with the versatility to line up whether we play an over/under front. It’s why Calijah is so valuable because Bowles will use him line up anywhere on the front outside and in, because his speed and ability to disrupt compliments Vitas ability to occupy blockers and/or shoot gaps. We have depth, fans just aren’t familiar with how we use them apparently
August 19th, 2025 at 6:48 pm
It’s easy enough to restrict calories and drop weight. Simple math. The problem is that rapid weight loss is 50% fat, 50% muscle. Dropping weight without significant muscle loss is hard work and takes time. I’m sure Des could lose 15 lbs in a week no problem, but then he wouldn’t have the strength to perform at training camp. If he’s going to be any good to the team, it’s going to take time
August 19th, 2025 at 7:37 pm
The NFL ain’t college. He’s gotta get way more weight off.
August 19th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
He’s a mountain of a man and potentially a mountain of liability. Football aside I’m hoping the kid can get himself straight for a healthy life.
August 19th, 2025 at 9:31 pm
I think they should keep him as he is. In photos he makes all the other DLs
look really sleek!
August 19th, 2025 at 10:30 pm
Warren – only Gaines is a real 300-pounder i think. not gonna look up all those weights, but prolly around 280-290 pounders. just saying, if our D is predicated on collapsing the interior, we need an umoveable guy.
August 19th, 2025 at 10:31 pm
has bowles ever played a 4-3?
August 19th, 2025 at 10:32 pm
also, until i see Vea play more snaps, he’s the Kristaps Porzingis of the NFL. need an extra depth 7-footer if you roster him.
August 20th, 2025 at 1:09 am
Zoocomics Says:
August 19th, 2025 at 4:20 pm
@Rod Munch… all jokes aside, I agree… there are weight loss solutions combined with his access to the resources the Bucs have in their facilities, which I’m assuming are dietitians and personal trainers. I’m a little surprised he hasn’t done better.
——–
Yeah, I legit have no idea why they’re not using amazing new tech that is available – unless there is some NFL rule against it, but I’ve never heard of anything like that.
August 20th, 2025 at 4:06 am
Because the Bucs/Bowles are so danged secretive about players I have no freaking idea if he has lost or gained weight. Looking at him on the sidelines saddens me. He could be a valueable piece for our Bucs but if he does not have the drive to grab the prize?
Food addiction, or eating disorder is no joke it kills people. I know this first hand from a beautiful girl I knew who years ago lost her battle with anorexia despite all the help money could buy.
I myself have been in recovery from addiction for 35 years and i can tell you that without full on effort to stay clean and sober I would have been dead many years ago. There has not been a year that I have not lost at least one good person from my life to it. Heartbreaking at times. The prize for me has been a full and meaningful life that I can be proud of.
Go Desmond!
Go Bucs!
August 20th, 2025 at 4:38 am
Would be cool if he was a beast.
But I watched his highlight reel in college. He’s slow off the line. His technique is lacking. Doesn’t appear hard to block. Rich Eisen would outrun him. His lone highlight as a tackler was him manhandling a 160 lb ball carrier.
I hope he’s a beast. Rooting for him. Got a long way to go though.