The Tampa Bay Buccaneers waived rookie nose tackle Desmond Wilson, the heaviest player in NFL history at 449 pounds, ahead of their final roster cuts on Tuesday (August 26).
The Buccaneers, who signed Watson as an undrafted free agent earlier this year and placed him on the non-football illness list to allow him to meet the weight-loss and conditional goals during training camp, reportedly don't plan to sign him to the practice squad, according to FOX Sports' Greg Auman.
"Bucs are waiving rookie defensive tackle Desmond Watson, who had been on the non-football illness list all of training camp. Had needed to get his weight down -- could have moved him to reserve-NFI, but they'll cut him outright. Not going to practice squad at the moment," Auman wrote on his X account.
Watson's agent, EJ Gonzales, told the Associated Press that his client is "still working" and his NFL dreams are "not finished." The former University of Florida standout's weight was a storyline ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, having weighed in at 464 pounds one month prior at his school's pro day event.
Watson went undrafted and signed a three-year contract with the Bucs, which included $50,000 guaranteed and a $20,000 signing bonus. The rookie dropped to 449 pounds during training camp, however, the team didn't feel comfortable with his conditioning to allow him to practice, which led to him being placed on the non-football illness list.
“We have some milestones we want him to hit before we get him out there,” said Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said earlier this month via Pro Football Talk. “He’s doing a solid job getting there.”