When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Desmond Watson as an undrafted free agent back in April, he instantly became a fan favorite.
The idea of pairing the massive 6-foot-6 defensive tackle with Vita Vea to form the league’s biggest interior line was an intriguing NFL storyline.
Unfortunately, Watson’s Buccaneers career ended before it ever began. The former Florida standout weighed 464 pounds at his pro day and slimmed to 449 when he signed with Tampa Bay. But the team wanted him to lose significantly more weight before declaring him healthy and effective enough to compete at the NFL level.
For perspective, Vea, one of the league’s largest defensive tackles, checks in at 346 pounds, roughly 100 pounds lighter than Watson.
Watson was present throughout training camp but limited to conditioning work on the side as the Bucs prioritized his health and conditioning over rushing him onto the field. When he failed to reach a more reasonable playing weight, the team made the difficult decision to release him during final roster cuts.
But Watson’s Tampa Bay story might not be finished after all. With breakout candidate Calijah Kancey suffering a season-ending injury in Week 2, the Buccaneers are exploring reinforcements along the defensive front.
According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the team brought Watson in for a workout Friday. While no immediate signing followed, the move is worth watching as the Bucs prepare for next week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Watson first arrived in Tampa Bay, he and Vea were nicknamed the “tush push terminators.” If he earns another shot, the Bucs could turn to him in Week 4 to help clog the interior and slow Philadelphia’s infamous quarterback-sneak play.
the Super Bowl champs have the tush push
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 27, 2025
you’re telling me a 464 pound tugboat to clog the middle isn’t an appropriate response?
Desmond “Tush Push Terminator” Watson:
6’6, 464 pounds pic.twitter.com/OpGKwBT961
Seeing Watson get another look is exciting at a time where Tampa Bay could really use some depth on the defensive line. If Watson puts in the work to get to a healthier weight and improve his conditioning, time hasn’t run out on him just yet to change the narrative of his NFL career and carve out a future with the Buccaneers.
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