Pewter Report’s Bucs Camp Diary, a popular training camp feature on PewterReport.com, returns in 2024. We are excited to have two very intriguing players to profile in veteran outside linebacker Markees Watts and rookie running back Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ fourth-round pick.

Watts was fifth on the depth chart at outside linebacker last year and a roster spot is not assured in 2024. But he has the talent to make the team once again – and shoot up the depth chart with a great camp and preseason.
 
Irving will take readers through the experience of rookie life in his first training camp in Tampa Bay in Liam Coen’s new offense. The small, shifty, tackle-breaking runner and receiver is expected to back up Rachaad White and earn carries and playing time based on his camp and preseason performance.
 
Look for Watts’ and Irving’s Camp Diary installments each week throughout training camp and the preseason.

Markees Watts was an undrafted free agent and the all-time leading sacker at Charlotte. He made the team last year with a sack, a forced fumble and a team-high nine pressures in the preseason. He wound up leading the team with a 23% pass rush win rate last year as a situational pass rusher and is in the most crowded and competitive training camp battle at outside linebacker.

Watts was a guest this summer on the Pewter Report Podcast and gave Bucs fans some incredible insight in his interview.

That Sack Felt Good, It Was A Long Time Coming

By Markees Watts As Told To Scott Reynolds

Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Photo by: Cliff Welch P/R

We had a good game in Jacksonville in terms of our pass rush. That sack felt good – it was a long time coming. It took a lot of work – a lot of reps. Just working with [outside linebackers coach] George [Edwards] and getting it to be the best weapon in my arsenal. Saturday night was a reflection of that.

After I started the game off with speed, they started setting for that, so I had to come back with power once they adjusted. So I hit him with the change up and had that speed-to-power and it showed with the sack. I’ve been working hard to get bigger and stronger in the offseason and it paid off.

It also came down to last week me struggling with my power move and working with Coach George about what would work. I literally sat down with him the night before and we went over my game plan about how I was going to rush and what I planned on doing. I went out there and did the first part of the plan like we talked about and then went over to him on the sidelines and said, ‘Time for the change up?’ And he said yes, it was time for the change up. I went out there and did it.

It’s great to see the great get greater. Coach George is getting better at knowing us – our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows where we need to keep grinding and sharpening our pass rush. You can see that he understands us more and learns who we are more as players and people.

Markees Watts Was Excited To See His Teammates Have Success vs. Jaguars

Bucs OLB Jose Ramirez – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s been a while since I’ve been a part of a two-man rush like that – going back to my college days [at Charlotte playing opposite Alex Highsmith]. It was crazy out there seeing Jose [Ramirez] getting after it and we didn’t know who was going to get the chip out there. We were messing up their plans. When you have two guys rushing like that,it causes a disturbance. They had to chip us left, right, left, right – they couldn’t focus on just one guy. If I don’t do my part then I’m holding him back. They can’t chip us both so we both had to rush hard. I love to see Jose win.

It felt good to see C.J. Brewer go out there and have a great game and stuff the run. You have all of these bonds – team bonds, positional bonds and defensive bonds, but that roommate bond is huge. Going back to the hotel with your brother and dapping it up because you’re happy for each other is great. There are all sorts of bonds, but the roommate bond is a big one.

More Playing Time Is Paying Off With More Experience

I think I’ve had a good camp so far. What I’ve been able to work on and fix in practice has shown up in games. I’m using my hands a lot more and that was a big emphasis in this last game – my hands – and using speed-to-power and switching it up. I practiced those things, went over it with Coach George and it showed up in the game.

I’m playing more snaps with Yaya [Diaby] and Joe [Tryon-Shoyinka] out and it’s a privilege, really. I’m happy to be out there more and I’m proud to be out there more. My conditioning feels great. Going into those games – practice is one thing, but you always have to give a little more in games. It just comes naturally. Playing more reps gives me the chance to practice more things in games and more opportunities to grow my game and learn and fix things.

Preparing For Miami And The Preseason Finale

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: USA Today

The first joint practice in Jacksonville was tough. It was long and it got hot out there in the middle of the day. We had to adjust to it and adjust to it fast. We didn’t really have any breaks. The next day we came out and adjusted to it and we played stronger. We have to do the same thing with this upcoming practice with Miami. Practice fast and hard and come out better this time. And when the game comes we have to put our best foot forward and make sure the moment is not too big for us.

It was cool to see Nelly (outside linebacker Anthony Nelson) get a pick [against Kyle Trask] in Monday’s practice because you don’t expect to see it. Everybody got excited. Everybody jumped up and everybody started screaming when Nelly got that pick. His arms are long, too. So he was able to just snatch that pick out of the air. He got it and got to the end zone fast.

Follow Markees Watts On X: @ilovemarkees

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Previous Markees Watts Camp Diaries

Markees Watts Camp Diary: I’m Definitely More Powerful This Year

Markees Watts Camp Diary: Facing Luke Goedeke Is Nothing But Work

Markees Watts Camp Diary: It’s Absolutely The Dog Days Of Camp Right Now