The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened their preseason schedule with a dominant 29-7 win over the Tennessee Titans on Saturday night. While it was an encouraging performance for several young players, rookie DL Desmond Watson’s absence remained a talking point.
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On the field, undrafted safety Shilo Sanders wasted no time making an impression. Starting the second half at safety, the former Buffs star blitzed untouched, drilling quarterback Brandon Allen just after he released the ball for Tampa Bay’s first QB hit of the night.
Sanders finished with one tackle and earned praise from head coach Todd Bowles for his “good tackles inside” and “good coverage things” in limited action. Notably for the Sanders family, Shilo’s impressive performance came just 48 hours after his younger brother, Shedeur Sanders, delivered a two-touchdown debut for the Cleveland Browns.
But while the Bucs safety was making plays, fellow rookie Desmond Watson was nowhere to be seen. The 6-foot-6 defensive lineman, who made headlines at the NFL Combine by weighing in at 464 pounds (the heaviest player in league history), has yet to practice with the Buccaneers.
HC Todd Bowls, for now, has placed him on the non-football injury list before training camp, citing the need for him to lose weight before participating in full sessions. This latest development means Desmond Watson will not play in preseason action until he meets the team’s conditioning targets, which are currently unknown.
Rookie DL Desmond Watson will be watching tonight but S Shilo Sanders will play.
Bucs vs Titans.
Watson can’t even practice until he loses more weight. pic.twitter.com/NspXJiWYcw— rock riley (@realrockriley) August 9, 2025
For many Buccaneers fans, the situation is as baffling as it is frustrating.
Watson’s weight has always been a well-known factor. Because during his three years with the Gators, he played north of 400 pounds and still managed 63 total tackles in 51 games, even showing his surprising mobility with a fumble-return touchdown against South Carolina in 2022. This is why some fans are surprised at how Watson’s situation is panning out for now.
“Did they tell him when they signed him that he had to be X lbs by camp or he wouldn’t practice? I’m wondering if they’re being hard on him because he didn’t make his “fighting weight” they set?” wondered a fan. “Are they even gonna give this dude a shot? Feel like his mass is what made him the player he is,” argued another.
The rest, meanwhile, were of the opinion that Desmond Watson should fully participate in the training camp, as it would aid his fat loss journey. “Wouldn’t he lose more weight if he was practicing and moving in the Florida sun? That’s just bugged me this entire time,” wrote a user. “Won’t practicing help him lose weight tho, its literally cardio,” chimed in another.
As things stand, Watson remains a long-term project rather than an immediate contributor, a stark contrast to Shilo Sanders, whose preseason debut showed an ability to make an impact straight away.
For the Bucs, the hope surely must be that their rookie DL’s conditioning plan pays off before the regular season arrives, turning this early absence into nothing more than a delayed start.
Because if he can eventually combine his rare size with the agility he’s shown in flashes, Desmond Watson’s presence next to Vita Vea could be one of the most intimidating sights in the NFL trenches. Until then, all eyes remain on the scale.
