Bucs DT Desmond Watson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

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Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds answers your questions from the @PewterReport X account this week in the Bucs Mailbag. Submit your question to SR each week via X using the hashtag #PRMailbag.  Here are the Bucs questions we chose to answer for this week’s edition.

QUESTION: With Desmond Watson not being able to practice due to his weight, is he in jeopardy of not making the team? How much weight does he have to lose in order to be able to practice?

ANSWER: The Bucs placed Desmond Watson, an undrafted free agent defensive tackle out of Florida, on the NFI (non-football illness) list prior to training camp due to his weight. Watson has an eating disorder and is morbidly obese at well over 400 pounds. He weighed in at his Florida pro day back in April at 464 pounds, and is listed weight on the Bucs roster is 449 pounds. That’s 102 pounds heavier than the listed weight for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Vita Vea.

I’m not sure what Watson weighs now and what his target weight was on reporting day for rookies on July 21. But it’s safe to say that he didn’t lose enough weight over the six-week break to be able to practice. Watson is a great kid and everyone is rooting for him – not just to suit up in red and pewter, but to get healthier and lose a lot of weight. That includes me. I’m pulling for him.

I haven’t heard any specifics in terms of the Bucs’ weight loss goals for Watson. But I would have to imagine the team would like to see him get down to at least 400 pounds – if not around 380 pounds, where he could be much more effective and have more stamina on the football field. It seems like he’s not that close to either of those numbers right now.

Bucs DT Desmond Watson – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The reality is that Watson was always a long shot to make the 53-man roster. And right now, him making the practice squad is even in serious jeopardy because he can’t show any of the coaches or players what he can be as a football player because he can’t practice. I’ve seen some Bucs and Gators fans fantasize about him lining up next to Vita Vea on Sundays, and some have incorrectly labeled Watson as a “beast” just because of his size.

In reality, Watson was never a star in his four seasons at Florida. He was, at best, a situational substitution player on defense. Watson had 63 tackles and 1.5 sacks in four years with the Gators. He never took his weight seriously in college and ballooned up from 380 pounds at Armwood High School in Tampa to over 450 pounds during his time at Florida. Instead of getting in better shape in college and losing weight, as many overweight kids do when they reach the next level, Watson unfortunately did the opposite.

We’ll see what happens with his football future in Tampa Bay. But the fact that he has missed the first four practices and does not look much different size-wise from the rookie mini-camp does not necessarily bode well for his chances of making even the Bucs practice squad. He’s off to an unfortunate and ominous start and needs to shed weight quickly and get cleared to practice as soon as possible.

QUESTION: Who’s been looking like a million bucks and who’s been looking like chump change so far?

ANSWER: I answered the first part of your question in a pair of Pewter Pulse videos over the weekend. The first one I did featured five offensive players who really stood during the first week of camp before the pads came on. Those players are rookie wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, rookie running back Josh Williams, wide receiver Mike Evans and quarterback Baker Mayfield. Those were players who not only stood out to me, but also to some Bucs sources of mine that I compared notes with.

On defense, safety Tykee Smith, rookie nickelback J.J. Roberts, who is also getting a look at safety, outside linebackers Chris Braswell and Yaya Diaby and cornerback Bryce Hall were the week one standouts in training camp. It’s really tough to evaluate offensive and defensive linemen without pads on, so I’ll save those evaluations for later this week when the pads come on.

Bucs WR Tez Johnson and CB Benjamin Morrison – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As for the Bucs who haven’t really stood out or performed poorly, there really haven’t been any notable names. Inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis has been a little quiet when it comes to splash plays, especially in the passing game. I’m waiting to see him get some pass breakups and a few interceptions like we have been accustomed to seeing in the spring and in previous training camps.

I would say one of the two biggest disappointments so far has been defensive tackle Desmond Watson not being able to practice because he didn’t hit his weight loss goals during the summer and he isn’t in good enough shape. That’s a huge blow for his chances of not only making the 53-man roster, but even having a shot at the practice squad. The other one is quarterback Michael Pratt, who has unfortunately been injured since April and hasn’t been able to practice.

QUESTION: With Michael Pratt injured and our large number of wide receivers, what’s the chance we only carry two QBs to make room for an extra wide receiver?

ANSWER: I think that is certainly going to happen. The Bucs have only carried two quarterbacks for years and I think that happens again this season. Michael Pratt’s lower back injury occurred in April before the OTAs. He’s missed the entire offseason program and the mandatory mini-camp, as well as the first week of training camp.

I’m told there’s a chance he returns in a week or two, but any real possibility of him unseating Kyle Trask for the backup quarterback job this season is essentially over. Pratt will likely be on the practice squad once again this season as a result of his unfortunate injury.

Bucs QBs Michael Pratt and Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

And yes, the Bucs do have a very stacked wide receiver room that is loaded with talent. Tampa Bay will likely keep nine or 10 offensive linemen and six wide receivers, as one of them will also be the team’s punt returner. Then it comes down to the running backs and tight ends position. Do Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard keep four tight ends and three running backs like they did last year? Or does Tampa Bay keep three tight ends and four running backs this season?

That question will likely be answered in the preseason by individual performances on offense plus special teams, as well as Grizzard determining how much Pony package (two-back set) he wants to run and how much 12 and 13 personnel (two- and three-tight end sets) he wants to be in as opposed to 11 personnel (one back, one tight end, three receiver sets).

QUESTION: Scott, I enjoyed your Top 50 Bucs of all time series. My question is about No. 50, Karl Williams, who was a back up most of his career. He may have been before your time, but do you remember center Steve Wilson, who started from 1976-85? He was an expansion Buccaneer, who won two NFC Central titles and Doug Williams had very few sacks. Just curious what kept him out, if anything?

ANSWER: Thank you for your question, and I’m glad you enjoyed the Top 50 Bucs Of All-Time series. Steve Wilson was a very good center in Tampa Bay history. But was he the best? No, probably the fourth best? Ryan Jensen won a Super Bowl and made a Pro Bowl and was made the highest-paid center in the NFL twice – once when he signed in 2018 and then again in 2022. He made the list at No. 25.

Center Tony Mayberry made the Pro Bowl three times and was part of two playoff teams, including the NFC Central champs who went to the NFC Championship Game in 1999. Mayberry made the list at No. 26 and was the only other center aside from Jensen in my top 50. The next best center was probably Jeff Christy, who made a Pro Bowl in Tampa Bay and helped the Bucs win Super Bowl XXXVII. He didn’t even make my top 50 list.

Former Bucs PR-WR Karl Williams – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The reason I included Karl “The Truth” Williams at No. 50 ahead of players like Christy and Wilson was because Williams was the best punt returner in Tampa Bay history. He still holds the franchise record with five touchdowns, and Williams was on playoff teams in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. And he helped the Bucs get to – and win – Super Bowl XXXVII.

Between Williams’ 1,902 yards on offense, his 2,565 punt return yards and his 1,245 kick return yards, the former undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M-Kingsville totaled 5,712 yards in his Tampa Bay career. That’s a pretty significant number, and the fact that he played at a high level for eight years with the Bucs made him a deserving selection in my mind.