Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Desmond Watson weighs too much.
The Bucs made that more or less an official stance this week, when they placed the undrafted free agent on the non-football illness list.
Watson weighed 464 pounds at Florida, and various reports this offseason have listed him at either 437 pounds or 449 pounds.
Regardless, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles confirmed their plan for Watson.
“It’s just about trying to get him better, to be a healthier player and get him on the field more,” Bowles told reporters. “That’s where I’m at right now. He’s working at it and we’re working with him and that’s all you can ask.”
Watson was probably a longshot to make the opening day roster anyway. Now his best hope is to get in better shape and try to snag a spot on the practice squad.
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He put up impressive Pro Day numbers for a man who measured up at 6-foot-6, 464, so there is some athletic potential here.
If Watson ever plays in the NFL at 400 pounds or more, he'd be the heaviest player in league history.
“We have some things in mind with him, where we want to see him at,” Bowles said. “He’s made some progress... I don’t have a timetable on what we can get him down to or when that comes.”
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