Markees Watts Camp Diary: That Sack Felt Good, It Was A Long Time Coming

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 exterior linebacker Markees Watts and rookie operating again Bucky Irving, the Bucs’ fourth-round choose.

Watts was fifth on the depth chart at exterior linebacker final yr and a roster spot shouldn’t be assured in 2024. However he has the expertise to make the workforce as soon as once more – and shoot up the depth chart with an ideal camp and preseason. Irving will take readers by way of 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 anticipated to again up Rachaad White and earn carries and taking part in 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 workforce final yr with a sack, a compelled fumble and a team-high 9 pressures within the preseason. He wound up main the workforce with a 23% move rush win fee final yr as a situational move rusher and is in essentially the most crowded and aggressive coaching camp battle at exterior linebacker.

Watts was a visitor this summer season on the Pewter Report Podcast and gave Bucs followers some unimaginable perception in his interview.

That Sack Felt Good, It Was A Lengthy Time Coming

By Markees Watts As Informed To Scott Reynolds

Bucs OLB Markees Watts – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R

We had sport in Jacksonville when it comes to our move rush. That sack felt good – it was a very long time coming. It took lots of work – lots of reps. Simply working with [outside linebackers coach] George [Edwards] and getting it to be one of the best weapon in my arsenal. Saturday evening was a mirrored image of that.

After I began the sport off with pace, they began setting for that, so I needed to come again with energy as soon as they adjusted. So I hit him with the change up and had that speed-to-power and it confirmed with the sack. I’ve been working exhausting to get greater and stronger within the offseason and it paid off.

It additionally got here all the way down to final week me battling my energy transfer and dealing with Coach George about what would work. I actually sat down with him the evening earlier than and we went over my sport plan about how I used to be going to hurry and what I deliberate on doing. I went on the market and did the primary a part of the plan like we talked about after which went over to him on the sidelines and stated, ‘Time for the change up?’ And he stated sure, it was time for the change up. I went on the market and did it.

It’s nice to see the good get larger. Coach George is getting higher at figuring out us – our strengths and our weaknesses. He is aware of the place we have to preserve grinding and sharpening our move rush. You’ll be able to see that he understands us extra and learns who we’re extra as gamers and other people.

Markees Watts Was Excited To See His Teammates Have Success vs. Jaguars

Bucs OLB Jose Ramirez – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

It’s been some time since I’ve been part of a two-man rush like that – going again to my school days [at Charlotte playing opposite Alex Highsmith]. It was loopy on the market seeing Jose [Ramirez] getting after it and we didn’t know who was going to get the chip on the market. We have been messing up their plans. When you have got two guys dashing like that,it causes a disturbance. They needed to chip us left, proper, left, proper – they couldn’t give attention to only one man. If I don’t do my half then I’m holding him again. They’ll’t chip us each so we each needed to rush exhausting. I like to see Jose win.

It felt good to see C.J. Brewer go on the market and have an ideal sport and stuff the run. You’ve all of those bonds – workforce bonds, positional bonds and defensive bonds, however that roommate bond is big. Going again to the lodge together with your brother and dapping it up since you’re pleased for one another is nice. There are all kinds of bonds, however the roommate bond is a giant one.

Extra Taking part in Time Is Paying Off With Extra Expertise

I feel I’ve had camp to this point. What I’ve been in a position to work on and repair in observe has proven up in video games. I’m utilizing my palms much more and that was a giant emphasis on this final sport – my palms – and utilizing speed-to-power and switching it up. I practiced these issues, went over it with Coach George and it confirmed up within the sport.

I’m taking part in extra snaps with Yaya [Diaby] and Joe [Tryon-Shoyinka] out and it’s a privilege, actually. I’m pleased to be on the market extra and I’m proud to be on the market extra. My conditioning feels nice. Going into these video games – observe is one factor, however you all the time have to offer a little bit extra in video games. It simply comes naturally. Taking part in extra reps provides me the prospect to observe extra issues in video games and extra alternatives to develop my sport and be taught and sort things.

Getting ready For Miami And The Preseason Finale

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Picture by: USA Right now

The primary joint observe in Jacksonville was powerful. It was lengthy and it bought sizzling on the market in the midst of the day. We needed to regulate to it and regulate to it quick. We didn’t actually have any breaks. The subsequent day we got here out and adjusted to it and we performed stronger. Now we have to do the identical factor with this upcoming observe with Miami. Observe quick and exhausting and are available out higher this time. And when the sport comes now we have to place our greatest foot ahead and ensure the second shouldn’t be too massive for us.

It was cool to see Nelly (exterior linebacker Anthony Nelson) get a choose [against Kyle Trask] in Monday’s observe since you don’t anticipate to see it. All people bought excited. All people jumped up and all people began screaming when Nelly bought that choose. His arms are lengthy, too. So he was in a position to simply snatch that pick of the air. He bought it and bought to the tip zone quick.

Comply with Markees Watts On X: @ilovemarkees

Comply with Markees Watts On Instagram: @iammarkeeswatts