Rueben Bain Jr. received superlatives almost across the board for his work in training camp and the preseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bain was so good in situations that head coach Todd Bowles was reluctant to use him much in the preseason, believing the Bucs already knew that the former Miami Hurricanes All-American was going to be a star.
Unfortunately, Bain hasn't been very noticeable in the live games this year and something looks off. The explosion hasn't been there. The violent hands don't seem as violent and Bain is struggling to get to the quarterback or even apply the type of pressure that could force a negative play.
Through two games, Bain has one tackle and hasn't recorded a QB hurry yet. Now FOXSports' Greg Auman reports that the 2026 first-round pick is missing practice today and might be dealing with injuries.
Bucs rookie Rueben Bain is not practicing today, which raises questions about whether his shoulder is a factor in his slow start.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 23, 2026
Rueben Bain will have to adjust his game to succeed in the NFL
Let's be fair on both sides. The NFL is a heck of a step up from even the best college football competition. These guys are the best in the world and they are grown men. If you have a weakness, they are going to exploit it over and over again. There is also the element of putting a player in a spot to succeed. Right now, Bain is lining up wide a lot, and it's been pretty easy for tackles to take him out of the play.
Remember that arm length argument? It sounded silly at the time and if anyone could overcome the lack of a physical trait like that, it's Bain, but that's easier said than done when, every week, you're facing elite competition and elite coaching who have the horses to expose any sign of weakness in your game. The issues he's dealing with in the first two games can partially be chalked up to his lack of length. He can't get his hands around the tackles and even challenge the passes in his direction.
Rueben Bain Jr. all true pass rush reps in week 2 pic.twitter.com/FJQoVcwocT
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 21, 2026
There was a loud group of people that believed Bain's best success would be as a three technique where the length isn't as much of an issue. Bain would need to put on some weight to be most effective, but it's going to be easier for him to add 15–20 pounds to his frame than try to work against NFL tackles with short arms.
You can use a player like John Randle as a comparison. He was undersized in the interior, but he had those same traits that define Bain — an unstoppable motor and the ability to win with leverage. To get the most out of Bain, it's going to require the Bucs to be more creative. That probably starts with sliding him to the inside on passing downs and getting him isolated on guards more where he can use that quickness.
The NFL will swallow a talented player up if they aren't ready and, unfortunately, Bain is already a candidate for the meat grinder as the 0-2 Bucs struggle out the gate. There's no room for growing pains in this league, so Bain and the Bucs have to come up with something fast.
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