

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are taking very seriously their training camp this year. They are not hiding or forgiving anything. They put rookie defensive tackle Desmond Watson on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list because there are concerns surrounding his overweight.
Weighing over 450 pounds, Watson, the heaviest ever in NFL, is working hard to get a place on the team, doing whatever it takes, even losing weight under Florida’s hot summer sun, which makes his training extra hard.
Shedeur Sanders throwing technique at the beginning of training camp worries fans
Extreme conditions for an extreme size
Watson was once a big name at Florida Gators and played with Shilo Sanders. He was well-known for being big but also fast. At the Gators’ Pro Day, he was 464 pounds which made many in the NFL look at him.
However, before he can join normal practices, Buccaneers’ head coach, Todd Bowles, says Watson needs to lose weight.
“It’s all about conditioning and keeping him healthy. He has the talent, but he’s got to be ready for the demands of the NFL,” Bowles told reporters
A pause on his NFL career
For now, Watson trains outside of the group, alone. He runs laps in very hot weather, sweating a lot while the others train together. The coaches make it clear: talent is not enough without physical readiness.
Watson’s path into the NFL was not typical. He did 36 bench presses and ran a 5.86-second 40-yard dash, something unbelievably great for his size. However, conditioning and stamina are still big worries for his coaches. Bowles did not specify how much Watson needs to weigh but noted he lost 25 pounds since training started.
“We are not being hard on him. We are getting him ready,” said Bowles.
At Florida, Watson played 51 games, made 63 tackles, and 1.5 sacks, being his game mostly based on stopping runs. His mix of size and power might help Tampa Bay, but only if he meets the speed and lasting power needs for the pro games.
Time for Watson to come better and stronger
With the 2025 NFL season coming up, Watson is running out of time to get back on the field. If he can change his body and make the team, we will just have to wait and see. Right now, his shoes hit the ground alone, lap after hot lap. If done, we could be in front of a generational player that could break all the current records.
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