Markees Watts Is Preparing For Battle Next Season

There were plenty of talented rookies across the Bucs’ roster this past season. They were one of the biggest reasons why – despite many pegging the team to struggle – Tampa Bay was able to seamlessly transition from a team littered with veterans to having a strong young core to build from. There was a great amount of depth in this past rookie class, and that includes outside linebacker Markees Watts.

Watts snuck onto the roster as an undrafted free agent after rookie minicamp tryouts and is one player that you could be hearing a lot more of in 2024. Speaking with Pewter Report at the end of the season, he had plenty to share about his journey to make the team and receive some playing time this past season.

Markees Watts Faced Plenty Of Battles To Suit Up For The Bucs

Back in May, Markees Watts’ spot on the Bucs 90-man roster was far from a guarantee. Tampa Bay was the only team to even give him a shot to show his worth during the rookie minicamp tryouts.

Watts would end up being one of three players the team would sign from that time, and it marked the start of his trek up the depth chart. After making the 90-man roster, he then would shine during the team’s preseason to make the 53-man roster.

He would not suit up until Week 9 against the Titans, which is when he began to make his presence felt with an electric NFL debut.

He would only receive a handful of snaps throughout the season, but even still, Watts made sure to make the most of them. That included the Saints game in Week 16 when he had just five defensive snaps but recorded two tackles and his first career sack.

To get into the team’s outside linebacker picture, Watts faced plenty of battles. He did not shy away from them.

“It’s been a long journey,” Watts said of what this past season meant to him. “When I made the 90-man, it was a huge accomplishment, like, ‘Woah, I made it.’ Then I thought to myself, ‘No, I haven’t made it yet.’ The battle began again and I was blessed with a new battle. Every time I won one, I was blessed with a new one. Then it was the continuation of the battle that I had just previously won.”

Although he started the season inactive, Watts was not upset. Instead, he recognized that he was not yet ready and was more than willing to become a sponge.

Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I started the season inactive watching those games,” Watts added. “I was really excited but I knew then and there, even that Vikings game [in Week 1], I would’ve been nervous. As time went on I felt like I had the best seat in the house. I get to take the slowest approach and get to learn the game and see the game before. I just learned and absorbed as much as I could in those weeks that I was inactive that when I did get activated, I wasn’t nervous, I was excited.

“I had prepared, I had been learning, and I could just go out there and do what I do at practice. As the season went on I kept going to practice with the mentality that I needed to get better – work on this, on that, on this. Understanding the scheme of how we’re running the defense here, and as the season went on it just paid off. It was a privilege to be a part of it even up to now.”

Markees Watts Is Looking To Power Up Over The OffSeason

As the Bucs head into the offseason, the biggest question at outside linebacker is the future of Shaq Barrett. Barrett has been a big part of the pass rush since bursting onto the scene in 2019, but the team may choose to part ways with the 31-year-old and go younger.

That is where Markees Watts could further enter the discussion.

Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

After shining in limited snaps throughout last season, Watts could continue his growth track over the offseason and soon find his way into receiving more playing time. Beyond YaYa Diaby, the rest of the depth chart is unclear.

Even if Barrett returns, the door for a starting role is more open than it has been. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka has not produced as expected, while Anthony Nelson, Cam Gill, and Jose Ramirez each serve as backup pass rushers.

That’s not to mention the other names that could enter the mix as the EDGE position is one that the Bucs will be looking to reinforce, whether through free agency or the NFL Draft in April.

Watts has a long way to go to stake a claim for a more defined role, but he is looking to develop in ways that will allow his performance to multiply.

“My production, my consistency, my output, like my skill output,” Watts said of elements in his game that he is looking to improve. “How much I’m winning, I feel like all of that could be multiplied. My consistency multiplied. I think the most important part was my understanding that when I come back next season – I’m praying that I’m coming back next season – that my role is I’m not going to be a rookie anymore.

“My role is going to be like the vets that you see in here, those guys that you know when coach puts them in the game, he can watch them because they’re going to do that. I know that I got to be that guy next season so it’s a lot of pressure but pressure’s earned.”

Pressure is not anything new for Markees Watts, and he has the opportunity to build from his rookie season and demonstrate why he was worth the Bucs taking the chance on.