Pewter Report’s Bucs Camp Diary, a preferred coaching camp characteristic on PewterReport.com, returns in 2024. We’re excited to have two very intriguing gamers to profile in veteran outdoors linebacker Markees Watts and rookie working again Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ fourth-round decide.
Watts was fifth on the depth chart at outdoors linebacker final 12 months and a roster spot isn’t assured in 2024. However he has the expertise to make the crew as soon as once more – and shoot up the depth chart with an ideal camp and preseason. Irving will take readers via the expertise of rookie life in his first coaching camp in Tampa Bay in Liam Coen’s new offense. The small, shifty, tackle-breaking runner and receiver is predicted to again up Rachaad White and earn carries and enjoying time primarily based on his camp and preseason efficiency. Search for Watts’ and Irving’s Camp Diary installments every week all through coaching camp and the preseason.
Markees Watts was an undrafted free agent and the all-time main sacker at Charlotte. He made the crew final 12 months with a sack, a pressured fumble and a team-high 9 pressures within the preseason. He wound up main the crew with a 23% go rush win charge final 12 months as a situational go rusher and is in probably the most crowded and aggressive coaching camp battle at outdoors linebacker.
Watts was a visitor this summer time on the Pewter Report Podcast and gave Bucs followers some unbelievable perception in his interview.
Going through Luke Goedeke Is Nothing However Work
By Markees Watts As Advised To Scott Reynolds
Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Going through Luke Goedeke is nothing however work. You’re going to work in opposition to him. You’re going to work, work, work. In the event you attempt to take a rep off in an NFL apply in opposition to Luke, you’ll lose and you’ll lose badly. I recognize that – with the ability to work in opposition to Luke each single rep.
Going in opposition to Tristan [Wirfs], you higher have your finest sport going and produce out your finest strikes. You could ensure you execute every part completely or Tristan goes to recuperate and he’s going to catch you. I’ve to remain low and attempt to bend [the arc] after I go in opposition to him as a result of he’s so large. I noticed Tristan on the bottom a few instances as we speak, which was uncommon. However he’s simply getting began. He’s simply getting on his horse now and he’s going to journey it this 12 months.
Yaya Diaby’s confidence is simply magnified proper now. He’s taking his sport up a notch. He’s had some good reps in opposition to these guys. All of us are extra assured in what we’re doing in 12 months two. We see the sport for what it’s now – there’s nothing new, so we get to have extra enjoyable, assume much less and play quicker. So simply seeing Yaya play quicker and have enjoyable – he’s extra aggressive and the dawg is de facto coming in him.
We’ve been doing stunts off the entire disguised fronts we’re working, ensuring all of it appears to be like the identical at first so the offense doesn’t know what’s coming. Execution-wise it’s the identical, but it surely’s a lot quicker this 12 months as a result of we’ve quicker guys up entrance. It’s all the time enjoyable doing TE (tackle-end) stunts with Vita.
Our protection is quicker this 12 months. Guys are flying to the ball, working down screens and RPOs. It’s all the time enjoyable to see your guys working full pace to the ball. You by no means know who’s working proper beside you when you’re working to the ball. It could possibly be Okay.J. Britt, it could possibly be Will Gholston. All people is flying to the ball and I believe it could possibly be enormous benefit for us this season.
Markees Watts Received To Slime Devin Culp
I obtained to slime Devin Culp as we speak after apply [on Sunday]. I obtained to solid the deciding vote on the market as to who was going to get slimed. There have been 4 of us and he was the rookie. I obtained the inexperienced “award cap” from Nickelodeon for being the one to do it. It was an honor to do it. Nickelodeon was out right here for Again Collectively Weekend celebrating the return of NFL soccer.
It was additionally an honor to be on the market with the Particular Olympics athletes as we speak. They’re so candy and sort. They all the time need to take photos with you and get your autograph. However as we speak I used to be like, “Bro, I would like your autograph! You’re within the Olympics!” That’s enormous.
Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Photograph by: Scott Reynolds/PR
The protection feels so acquainted to me now. The primary few days we had been out right here, that warmth was unfamiliar. You count on the warmth, however you’re by no means fairly prepared for it at first. You get drained and also you get fatigued. It comes down to only performing and never committing MEs (psychological errors). After we obtained tailored to the warmth – man, it’s been a struggle, but it surely’s been a a lot simpler struggle.
I’m trying ahead to the pads approaching. I’m trying ahead to exhibiting my go rush and opening up some new strikes as a result of there are specific strikes you may’t do except you will have pads on as a result of they’re bodily strikes.
However I’m actually trying ahead to seeing Okay.J. Britt in pads. Okay.J. has been ready for the pads to come back on and I can’t wait to see what he does when that occurs. His spirit and his data of the sport stand out to me in addition to his confidence. He has our assist as a result of he’s an ideal chief. Simply seeing his vitality and his trash speak when Okay.J. is on the market enjoying, the pads are going to be an amplifier for him and produce that even increased. I can’t wait to see it.
Regardless that we haven’t practiced in full pads but, the apply tempo would be the similar. It doesn’t actually degree up. We’re nonetheless flying round and working to the ball. Even with our shells on (smaller shoulder pads and shorts), I didn’t really feel any distinction in as we speak’s apply. It obtained extra chippy between the offensive and defensive strains and the entrance seven [on defense], however the pace of the apply would be the similar when the pads come on. I don’t see an enormous degree soar when the pads come on – it simply permits us to be extra bodily and exhibit extra strikes.
Bucky Irving And The Bucs’ New Offense
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
This new offense has loads of movement to maintain us on our toes as a protection. They disguise a bunch of what they’re doing, so you may’t simply have a look at their formation and know what they’re going to do. On the final second they’ll ship somebody in movement to vary it up, so it’s all the time completely different. They method [Liam Coen] strikes his offense, every part is quick, so it’s important to be prepared.
Bucky Irving is a man I observed as we speak. I observed his pace when he has the ball in his fingers. He’s small, however he’s quick. In the event you get the improper leverage on him it’s going to be a missed sort out – simple. He’s going to make individuals miss a number of tackles.
It’s good to see SirVocea [Dennis] enjoying and he had a pleasant decide as we speak. We’ve been getting some [interceptions] recently. Final 12 months, he was riddled with accidents to the beginning the season and it prevented him from exhibiting his true potential. However he’s exhibiting that now and it’s enjoyable to see Voss enjoying an enormous half in what we’re doing [on defense].
Saturday Wasn’t Actually A Day Off
Bucs OLB Markees Watts and his daughter Kora – Photograph by: USA Immediately
I actually didn’t have an off day on Saturday, which was our first time off of camp to this point. I used to be at dwelling and my one-year previous daughter, Kora, was driving me loopy. She was working round the home. I used to be simply making an attempt to put on the sofa and relaxation and calm down. It felt good to try this and simply be at dwelling to take pleasure in it whereas I may.
However my daughter simply saved grabbing the TV distant and the Ps distant. She wouldn’t sit down. I used to be like, “Kora, please! Loosen up, Kora, calm down!” She would have a look at me, smile after which simply take off working round the home once more. It was a time off for me, but it surely felt prefer it was nonetheless work – chasing her round.
I haven’t performed the brand new EA Sports activities Faculty Soccer 25 but, however I must. All people has performed it and mentioned it’s superb. Charlotte, my faculty, is within the sport this time round, so I can’t wait to play it. However I don’t have the time proper now between soccer and chasing my daughter round.
Observe Markees Watts On X: @ilovemarkees
Observe Markees Watts On Instagram: @iammarkeeswatts
