Bucs outside linebacker Marquise Watts will be out for the next few months. Prepare for the battle for next season. In a room filled with a lot of young talent and opportunities following the release of Shaq Barrett, Watts is looking to make his own mark and stake his claim for playing time in this room that should be very competitive. That’s what I’m aiming for.
After the season, Watts took the time to sit down with Pewter Report for an interview and talked about how he spent most of his rookie year learning to be himself within his position and taking advantage of his opportunities to play in the league. talked about.
who knows? He could be the Bucks’ next under-the-radar talent.
Marquise Watts turned to veteran and realized what he brings to the table
For a young back learning the ropes of being an NFL player, it’s important to have teammates willing to teach and encourage you. Marquise Watts did that last season in the outside linebacker room, and it really got the most out of him. Watts didn’t make the list after playing in just seven games, but he understands what he needs to focus on to be the best pass rusher he can be.
Bucs OLB Marquise Watts – Photo Credit: USA Today
“It is a great honor to have veterans who are willing to teach and be there for us,” Watts said. “I think we’re in a situation where veterans are less enthusiastic about contributing to them because a lot of rookies have a lot of potential. At the end of the day, we’re all competing for the same thing. That’s what I’m doing.
“So I have the privilege of having veterans who care about you and they put as much into you as they would anyone else. It’s such an honor. And I learned very quickly from them. Everyone brings something different to the table.”
Looking around the locker room where players were packing up their belongings, Watts noted how different skill sets the players had and how he realized he was his own player.
“I might respect Shaq [Barrett]may praise YaYa [Diaby]Jose [Ramirez]Joe [Tryon-Shoyinka]Nellie [Anthony Nelson],cam [Gill]” Watts added. “They all bring something different, and once I got here I started seeing how they played and how successful they were.
“I tried to recreate that a few times. I was like, ‘If they’re doing that, coaches would love to see it, I need to try to do that too.’ I thought, but it wasn’t for me. It didn’t work out in my favor, but I realized that I had to be myself in the pass rush and play the game my way, which has now led to great success. It’s something I can focus on and hone in on to bring me more success. I want to be active, but that’s a privilege. Those guys are amazing. ”
Marquise Watts was one of many rookies in the Bucks’ ‘special group’
Bucks 2023 rookie class Ranked after the season for this year’s performanceBut regardless of where it ranks in the eyes of outsiders, inside the building you can see just how much burgeoning talent is flooding the shores of Tampa Bay. With 15 rookies suiting up for games throughout the season, we have a lot of players to grow with and use their experience to grow.
Marquise Watts is one of them.
“Our Mentor duke [Preston] They told me right away that our class was a special group,” Watts said. “He let us know that there is no other team in the NFL that has as many rookies as we do. A team that reaches out to young people and gives them as much responsibility and opportunity as the Bucs. There’s nothing else like that, so it was a great opportunity.
Bucs OLB Marquise Watts – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
“When I look around, I see that there are a lot of us and there is no one else who is going through this other than us. I realized that early on and I am grateful to all of them. . They’re all like real brothers to me. Unlike college, high school, middle school, the NFL is different. It’s a real brotherhood.”
As an undrafted free agent, Watts had to fight for every chance to get in the game and show he belonged. That meant gaining the trust of the Bucks’ defensive coaches and knowing the high standard of play expected of him with every repetition, both in practice and on game day.
“They’re very good coaches,” Watts said of the defensive coaching staff. “They’re the ones who really have to chew you out. As soon as you do something wrong or you do something better than them, they don’t have to tell you about it.” No, because you know. You know their standards.
“I know they’ve done the best job a coach can do for the players, and if there’s something that’s lacking, you know that’s something you have to fix. is such a great coach, my coach. [George Edwards],coach [Larry] Foote, and all the other coaches on the staff. They work hard to feed us. They are coaches who give us good chances and say, “I’m ready, I’m fine.”
Marquise Watts will enter next season as a sleeper
How the Bucs expand their outside linebacker position will largely determine whether Marquise Watts gets a bigger role in the future. If Tampa Bay decides to take a pass rusher at No. 26 in the first round, Watts could find himself in a situation similar to last year, where teams compete for playing time with opponents who give him longer leads.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and OLB Marquise Watts – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR
But if the team doesn’t take an outside linebacker until late in the draft or adds someone in free agency, Watts should have a chance to contribute just as much and make a name for himself, and he’ll be on the team. Could be a true sleeper among the. group.
General manager Jason Richt certainly spoke with confidence at the NFL Scouting Combine. Some of the in-house options the Bucs have., primarily Watts and 2023 sixth-round pick Jose Ramirez. That by no means means they’re happy with the status quo in the room, but it does indicate that both guys will be in the mix.
With limited playing time this year, Watts has made an impact when coming off the bench, and his 23.1% pass rush win rate last year was the best in Tampa Bay. By comparison, Shaq Barrett’s pass rush win percentage was 15%, compared to fellow starter Yaya Diaby’s 6.7%.
Watts is similar to Barrett (6-2, 250 pounds) at 6-foot-1, 242 pounds, and the fact that he inherited the No. 58 jersey that Barrett wore from 2019 to 2022. Barrett was an unprecedented signing in 2019, coming out of nowhere to record an NFL-leading 19.5 sacks that year and earn his first Pro Bowl berth.
Marquise Watts has proven he has talent in a limited sample size, but will look to put it all together during the offseason. If that happens, he could quickly become someone head coach Todd Bowles can count on as a true defensive spark and key contributor.
The Bucks may not have to look far to replace Shaq Barrett after all. Maybe he’s already on their roster.
