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Buccaneers rookie shows up to camp weighing 450 pounds

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 6:48 PM ET

Training camp is a time for NFL players to get in top shape before the start of the NFL season. For some, the definition of being in shape is different than what it is for others.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie defensive tackle Desmond Watson was placed on the non-football illness list to start camp as the team tries to get him to lose a few more pounds. Watson is listed at an astonishing 449 pounds on the team’s roster.

WATCH: "It’s just about trying to get him better to be a healthier player and getting him on the field a little more."

Bucs DT Desmond Watson is on the non-football illness list to start camp. He is day-to-day.

They hope he loses some weight. The roster says he is 449 pounds. pic.twitter.com/aNO2DOSyzH
— Mark Skol, Jr. (@markskoljrTV) July 23, 2025

Believe it or not, this actually represents progress for Watson. At the NFL Combine, he weighed in at 464 pounds. He was consistently one of the largest players in college football when playing for the Florida Gators, and the Buccaneers signed him as an undrafted free agent partly because he might be able to fill a role as a run-stuffing defensive lineman.

For most offensive linemen, 400 pounds is far too heavy. The Buccaneers would probably love it if they could get Watson anywhere near that weight.

The Buccaneers do seem to genuinely think Watson can and will shed a few more pounds. If he does, we might actually see him make the roster despite the odds being stacked against him.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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