The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have won the NFC South for four years straight. However, their sights are not on the divisional title, but in the highest achievement in the NFL: a Super Bowl win. Baker Mayfield will lead the charge once again, however, it’s head coach Todd Bowles the one who has made a rather intriguing remark on one of team’s players.
The Bucs made headlines when they signed defensive tackle Desmond Watson as an undrafted free agent after the NFL draft. Watson, who repped Florida at the collegiate level, is an intriguing prospect. His official measurements are 6’6″ and 449 pounds! He is the heaviest player in NFL history.
However, he was placed on the non-football illness list to start the training camp. When asked about it, head coach Todd Bowles bluntly stated that it’s because of his weight. “It’s just about trying to get him better, to be a healthier player and getting him on the field a little more,” Bowles said.
Tampa loves size on its roster
While they know Desmond Watson needs to be “slimmer” to be able to play in the NFL, there’s no doubt that the Buccaneers drafted him for his massive frame. In the end, they love having huge people on the trenches.
For example, they have one of the largest players in the league in defensive tackle Vita Vea. He is a massive presence in the NFL and weighs 347 lbs. Now, Watson is 100 lbs heavier, so that’s a big no-no for Bowles, but if he can get near to Vea’s size, imagine those two wrecking havoc!
The Bucs didn’t do much on defense
Besides Watson, the only big-time addition the Buccaneers have on the defensive line is pass rusher Haason Reddick. After that, they pretty much retained all important names. Vita Vea is still there, Lavonte David as well. Logan Hall and Calijah Kancey round up the defensive line.
They did spend a second and a third round on cornerbacks. Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish are the new names tasked with the disruption of opposing passes. They join corners Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum, and safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith.