NFL’s heaviest player Desmond Watson placed on Buccaneers non-football injury list due to weight issues

ONE of the most intriguing NFL Draft prospects has hit a snag in his pro development.

Desmond Watson, the heaviest player in NFL history, is being shut down by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

AP

Desmond Watson is being shut down by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/caption]

AP

The team wants Watson to lose more weight before playing[/caption]

Watson has been placed on the non-football injury list due to his weight.

“It’s just about trying to get him better, to be a healthier player and getting him on the field a little more,” Buccaneers head coach Todd 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 played his college football at Florida before being signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.

The defensive tackle stands at 6-foot-6.

He weighed 464 pounds at his pro day and lost around 25 pounds before the draft.

However, it seems that he needs to get more weight off in order to meet the Buccaneers’ standards.

“I don’t have a timetable on what we can get him down to or when that comes,” Bowles said.

“He’s from Armwood, he went to Florida, so he’s used to the heat. That’s not a big factor in it.

“We’ve just got to see what happens.”

Watson is currently working with a team nutritionist, but the Buccaneers haven’t revealed what his ideal playing weight is.

NFL fans are rooting for Watson to prove himself to the Buccaneers and shared their thoughts on social media.

“He’s gonna be so good,” one fan said.

“Rooting for him,” another fan said.

“I hope he finds a home somewhere, would love to see him on Sundays,” a third fan said.

“He get to about 390 and it’s over him next to Vita Vea gonna be the best interior run defense out there,” a fourth fan said.

“How is he gonna lose weight without training. Let him practice,” a fifth fan said.