Markees Watts Camp Diary: I’m Definitely More Powerful This Year

Pewter Report’s Bucs Camp Diary, a popular training camp feature on PewterReport.com, returns in 2024. We are excited to have two very intriguing players to profile in veteran outside linebacker Markees Watts and rookie running back Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ fourth-round pick.
 
Watts was the fifth on the depth chart at outside linebacker last year and a roster spot is not assured in 2024. But he has the talent to make the team once again – and shoot up the depth chart with a great camp and preseason.
 
Irving will take readers through the experience of rookie life in his first training camp in Tampa Bay in Liam Coen’s new offense. The small, shifty, tackle-breaking runner and receiver is expected to back up Rachaad White and earn carries and playing time based on his camp and preseason performance.
 
Look for Watts’ and Irving’s Camp Diary installments each week throughout training camp and the preseason.

Markees Watts was an undrafted free agent and the all-time leading sacker at Charlotte. He made the team last year with a sack, a forced fumble and a team-high nine pressures in the preseason. He wound up leading the team with a 23% pass rush win rate last year as a situational pass rusher and is in the most crowded and competitive training camp battle at outside linebacker.

Watts was a guest this summer on the Pewter Report Podcast and gave Bucs fans some incredible insight in his interview.

I’m Definitely More Powerful This Year

By Markees Watts As Told To Scott Reynolds

Training camp is here and in camp, I need to make sure I display my growth and starting off where I ended last season – not starting off where I began. The worst thing I could do is make the same mistakes I made last year and not show the growth I’ve made this offseason and not becoming a better player. I am going to show that growth, and that’s the most important part to me. If I go in there and not show any growth, I’m going to be disappointed in myself and essentially offering up my position to somebody else.

The area I focused on the most this offseason was my conditioning. I put on some weight. Last year around this time, I was about 235 pounds. Now I’m between 245-250 pounds. I put on that extra weight and I’m running around and I’m not running the same way. I’m heavier, so I was like, ‘Dang – I’ve got to make sure I’m well-conditioned and get used to this weight.’ So I put an extra emphasis on running.

I’ve gained the most weight in my upper body. I’ve always had thick thighs and calves, but the difference that I’ve seen in my upper torso and the power difference that I feel – there’s been a huge jump there. I’m definitely more powerful this year heading into camp.

Markees Watts Looks Up To Shaq Barrett, Wants To Uphold No. 58

It was different for me to come in last year and see guys form a brotherhood, and yet you and your teammates are fighting for the same goals and the same roster spots. There were guys like Shaq Barrett, who were so far along down their path where it seems like you are in the same place at the same time, but it can be a completely different situation for everybody.

To see him retire to be with his family after making the game work for him and have a blast with it – it’s huge. He’s ready to conquer new things and I’m excited to see his growth. I love to see someone like that prosper. He’s going to be missed for sure. I texted him and told him I loved him and I thanked him. He taught me so much for sure.

The main takeaway I got from Shaq was his attitude towards the game. Me, I’m a high-pressured person. I take everything very seriously when it comes to MEs (mental errors). They anger me and frustrate me. It makes me be more aggressive on the next play, but sometimes it can make me unforgiving towards myself when it comes to MEs.

If Shaq made the slightest ME – and he didn’t make many – but if he did, he was calm, cool, collected and he fixed it. And then he would make a great play. That’s when I said, “Okay, I’m going to start approaching the game like that.” Him giving me that little bit of wisdom, plus all of our talks, it was just a huge plus to have him around.

I do feel an obligation to uphold his No. 58 jersey. It’s the second year with me wearing that number and I’ve got to keep that reputation going. I want to be a part of something special that has already been started, and continue on like he did. Just seeing someone who started off in the same position as me draft-wise and coming in as an undrafted free agent and seeing him make a very successful career out of working hard, pushing it and sharpening your talents and displaying those talents every chance you get. He did it, and he was very successful, and it showed throughout his career. He definitely inspires me.

Who Replaces Shaq Barrett As The Leader In The OLB Room?

Now that Shaq has moved on, we’ll see who emerges as the leader of our [outside linebackers] room. It’s going to show in camp. I know that I want to be the person who emerges from the room, but in camp – it’s just words. In college, it was a same type of situation where it was, “Who is going to be the leader of our room?” And I thought, “It’s got to be me.”

But the first two games happened, and I didn’t get the stats I wanted. I didn’t come out like I wanted to. I started to crumble inside, so this time around, I want to be sure I know that I do my work first before I start talking. And I want to see everybody else do their work, too. It’s something that is going to show up in camp.

In camp, I’m going to emphasize the agility I have, and the ability I have to fly around and do different things. I’m confident in my ability to drop in coverage, rush the passer, get after the run and do all of those things. I just have to play to my techniques and what I know works. If I keep sharpening my skills and keep hammering away when the season gets here, it will feel like the most natural thing in the world.

Markees Watts Was Excited To Make The Team Last Year, Wants That Feeling Again

My roommate last year is going to be the same guy this year – defensive tackle C.J. Brewer. Just having a roommate last year was a huge experience for me because you room with a guy you are competing with all day. It’s not like we play the same position. He’s a defensive tackle. But we’re both trying to make the team and there are not a lot of open spots. So you are competing against and rooming with a guy who is a total stranger.

He has dreams that sometimes oppose your dreams. But then that guy becomes one of your best friends. You become boys and you become brothers, but your dreams still oppose each other. It’s kind of wild. You help each other and it feels like so strange when you first experience it, but you both know what you want and you get after it.

I remember the last day of camp which was the day of roster cuts when guys get that phone call – whether it’s good or bad. So we were just sitting there in dead silence all day. We were too stressed to watch TV, so we just sat there in silence and hoped the phone didn’t ring. It was uncomfortable for me because I was so happy that a smirk grew on my face and I just couldn’t control it. I was smiling, but I didn’t want to smile because I wanted to be sure it was really happened. I had an uncontrollable smile and grin that wouldn’t go away. It was bittersweet because I was on the same floor of the hotel with a bunch of guys and you could hear guys opening their doors after getting their calls and leaving. That hurt and it was bittersweet because I didn’t get a call. I don’t want a call this year, either.

Markees Watts’ Message To Bucs Fans

Since I’ve been in Tampa, I’ve met a good amount of you Bucs fans that I’ve introduced myself to, or you’ve walked up to me and introduced yourself to me. Fans have told me over these past two years – go make the team, go do your thing and we’ll be rooting for you.

I will make you proud and I don’t want to let you down. At the end of the day, we’re strangers to a degree, but I don’t want to let you Bucs fans down because of the love and support you’ve given me and given us.

And I won’t.

Follow Markees Watts On X: @ilovemarkees

Follow Markees Watts On Instagram: @iammarkeeswatts

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