It's hard to hate anything the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did during the NFL Draft, which includes moves the team made immediately after.
Once again, Jason Licht cooked up what seems to be a fantastic undrafted free agent class, which former Colorado safety Shilo Sanders headlined. Nearly lost in the initial burst of interest in Sanders was the signing of Florida Gators viral sensation Desmond Watson, the nearly 500-pound defensive tackle who instantly started garnering buzz after he was signed.
That buzz is on hold, though. Despite showing some flashes at OTAs and rookie minicamp, Watson's time with the Bucs is on hold for now. He was among the players Tampa Bay placed on the active/non-football illness list ahead of training camp.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles addressed why while speaking with the media on Wednesday.
Todd Bowles reveals why Buccaneers placed Desmond Watson on the NFI list
Bowles candidly explained that Watson was placed on that list because of his weight, something that everyone has made a very big deal out of ever since he arrived in Tampa Bay. Bowles revealed that Watson's weight -- which is currently at 449 pounds -- has caused concerns about his health, which is why he was being held out of camp.
He also mentioned that while Watson is out for the time being, the team is working with him to get his weight down so that he can rejoin the team.
Todd Bowles, asked about rookie DT Desmond Watson, who opens camp on the non-football illness list, working on the side trying to lower his weight: "It's just about trying to get him better, to be a healthier player and getting him on the field. That's where I'm at right now."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) July 23, 2025
It's also worth mentioning that Watson is at training camp and isn't missing. That's an important distinction that has been lost when describing the situation, although it's not far off from the truth. Watson is at camp, but he's not practicing and won't until the team clears him.
Pewter Report shared some footage of him this week at Bucs training camp, but he was off to the side and not taking part in drills.
Although #Bucs DT Desmond Watson is not practicing with the rest of the defensive line, he is here and on the side. #GoGators @GatorsFB pic.twitter.com/q5GtuI4Usc
— PewterReport 🏴☠️ (@PewterReport) July 23, 2025
It's a real shame, too. Watson was one of the marquee UDFA signings the Bucs made after the draft, and he has a real chance to make a name for himself. Playing with Vita Vea and alongside guys like Calijah Kancey and David Walker -- who is also coming to camp listed as a defensive lineman --
This isn't the end of the story, which is worth remembering. Watson had already gotten his weight down from 464-pounds to under 450-pounds earlier this offseason so he's trending in the right direction.
He already faces an uphill battle to make the roster as a UDFA, but there's still hope that he'll be able to make enough of an impact to earn a spot when final cuts are made at the end of August.
More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors