Dec 25, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Buccaneers' 400-pound rookie turning heads prior to training camp

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 27, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trudging their way through the offseason, where they hope to develop some of the younger players on the roster.

One of those players is undrafted free agent defensive tackle Desmond Watson, who played collegiately at the University of Florida.

Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski named Watson the team's most exciting undrafted free agent.

Watson brings excitement to Buccaneers

"Defensive tackle Desmond Watson is 6'6" and tips the scales at nearly 450 pounds. If he makes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' active roster, he'll be the heaviest player to lace up cleats in the NFL," Sobleski wrote. "The Bucs' coaching staff sees tremendous potential of a young prospect who can grow into a legitimate force."

"With the near-350-pound Vita Vea starting at nose tackle for Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers have the perfect mentor in place to maximize Watson's upside and possibly develop another war daddy in the middle of their defense."

Head coach Todd Bowles previously shared his thoughts on Watson at rookie minicamp a few weeks ago.

"He's got to make the team first all of all," Bowles said to BucsGameday. "Right now, we just got to see how long he can stay on the field and put him on a program where we think he can make some progress. I think that's the biggest thing for us to do right now. We didn't get him and say, 'hey, we've got to put you on the field right now.'

"It's, 'hey, we can try to put you on this program and see what we can come up with and see if we can get our endurance better' and have him become a better player that way and then kind of see where he is," Bowles continued. "So to judge him right now is very early. We didn't get him for the tush push, we got him because we really thought he could play. It's just a matter of getting up to a point where he can play more than 2-3 plays a drive."

Watson will participate in the team's OTA's this week to get better and possibly improve his chances of making the 53-man roster at the end of training camp.