The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have reportedly cut ties with one of the NFL’s most talked-about rookies. According to Fox Sports’ Greg Auman, the team is waiving undrafted defensive lineman Desmond Watson, a 449-pound rookie who gained national attention as soon as he arrived at training camp.
Watson, who played at Florida, began camp on the non-football injury list as he worked to shed weight. At one point in college, the 6-foot-4 tackle tipped the scales at 464 pounds.
Tampa Bay saw potential in Watson, nicknamed the “tush push terminator” as an imposing force in the middle and decided to give him a shot after the draft.
Head coach Todd Bowles explained earlier this summer why the team kept Watson sidelined.
“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. “That’s kind of where I’m at right now. He’s working at it, and we’re working with him, and that’s all you can ask right now.”
Watson had previously stated that he was working hard to drop the weight and had lost several pounds ahead of the decision. He has not issued a statement about the waiver.