Jason Licht Admits He Got “Antsy” As Rueben Bain Fell In The Draft
April 30th, 2026
Rolled the dice.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is stingy with his draft picks, specifically in the first round.
You rarely see him trade up in the first round and you rarely see Licht trade draft picks for veterans, though his trade for Jason Pierre-Paul was a landmark transaction that Joe believes was the catalyst to the Bucs building a Super Bowl team in 2020.
Appearing today on “Schein on Sports,” hosted by popular sports radio and television personality Adam Schein exclusively on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio, Licht walked Schein through what was going through his mind and heart when he saw Rueben Bain beginning to fall into the teens.
The Bucs selected at No. 15.
“First, there started to be a run on o-linemen,” Licht said. “Then, a quarterback went to the Rams. Caleb Downs falling a little bit to Dallas helped. And so when [Bain] started [falling] — at pick No. 12 — I was starting to get a little bit antsy, wondering if I should [trade] up.”
Whoa! Licht was thinking of trading up in the first round? Shows you what he thinks of Bain.
Licht’s only done that once, and that was just one spot up with John Lynch and the 49ers to grab Tristan Wirfs, which has been nothing less than a home run move.
But Licht got a hold of himself last Thursday night and decided to roll the dice and wait it out. Hope for the best. Licht knew he could get solid players with the picks he likely would have had to cough up for ransom to land Bain.
“Then, I just decided that if we stay calm, as calm as we could even though my heart was beating out of my chest, and that second-, third-, fourth-round pick this year I felt was extremely valuable,” Licht said.
“I decided to get selfish. I decided to keep those picks and wait for [Bain] to fall. Sometimes, it’s better to be lucky than good, I guess.”
Licht has said in recent days that the Bucs’ war room exploded like he had never seen. But he added, there is a caveat to that statement.
“The room was more electric than any pick we have made in my tenure here,” Licht said. “Now keep in mind Tristan Wirfs’ pick was during Covid at home. So we weren’t in the draft room.”
Licht said his staff was and still is “gassed” how the Bucs lucked out on Bain.
So too are Bucs fans.
April 30th, 2026 at 4:41 pm
Gawd…. I hope this guy isn’t a DUD, there has been so much hype a lot of people will have egg on their face.
April 30th, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Joe you seem to forget that Jason Pierre Paul had a broken bone in his neck and the bucs reworked his contract before the 2019 season which made him a FA in 2020 and he resigned. I think if he didn’t hurt his neck I believe him and Shaq in 2019 both have over 12.5 each in 2019. Paul came back mid season and got 8 sacks in 8 games. His first game back was a hat trick. So getting Jason Pierre Paul was a turning point but I think most of the fan base at the time of the trade wasn’t high on him with him having the issue with his hand but 2018 he got 12.5 sacks.
April 30th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Yeah I was getting antsy too! Better lucky than good – sounds like my golf game. Bain is angry and he’ll ball out to prove those other teams wrong!
April 30th, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Seems very much unlikely. Not impossible, but quite unlikely.
April 30th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
(That Bain will be a dud)
April 30th, 2026 at 5:29 pm
@Bakerfan
I hope he’s not either but I think Bain will be alright. That would’ve been the only way I would’ve stayed put & not traded down is if he ended up falling to them.
April 30th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Bain a dud? Methinks not…
April 30th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
It was like top 5 equivalent Draft pick for the Bucs, if they were at 5, they would have still taken him. That is the kinda thing that can help a team pull a Pats/hawks middle to first turnaround.
April 30th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
A new JTS HOWARD pick….. LOL
April 30th, 2026 at 6:13 pm
Bain is a dud
April 30th, 2026 at 6:26 pm
Unless the Dline steps up and stays healthy, he’s gonna have the same stats as rookie Mike Green had for Baltimore last season. He was passed up 13 times,it wasn’t like licht traded down and ” stole” him from another team.. Hope he proves me wrong!
April 30th, 2026 at 6:53 pm
hc Grover feel sorry for you being on a Buc board and hating on this pick. Must be a horrible life you live. I hope things pick up for you.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
HC Grover reminds me of Al Bundy ! He carries the ball around his living room sayn how wonderful he was back in the day!
April 30th, 2026 at 7:12 pm
Bain a dud? No Chance. HC Grover loved the Brasswell and Tryonka picks though.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
My guess is that HC Grover has routinely failed in life and only feels good about himself/herself when others fail. Pathetic to say the least.
You’re an embarrassment troll.
Bain is a beast! Have never been this excited about a Bucs pick. Well maybe the Sapp pick – followed by Brooks. Franchise changing. Bain & Trotter & Scott – tone setters!
April 30th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
Any loafers on defense will be snatched up like Bain’s draft hat and will be ceremoniously dumped in a dumpster. We have dawgs now! Finally!
April 30th, 2026 at 7:24 pm
Give him number 9….New plan 9 from outer space…Hey folks look at my record here. I am the Guru. Not you. He will flop like the rest.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:29 pm
The Grover has a proven 100 percent correct track record.Yo Check It. Find 1 error.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:30 pm
JBF is canceling Grover… No worries. Watch and learn mods.
[Nope. — Joe]
April 30th, 2026 at 7:31 pm
I will call back when a reality mod is on duty.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:33 pm
Well no worries….Thou doth protest too much.
April 30th, 2026 at 7:34 pm
Nobody knows what kind of player Bains will be .Clowney was better coming out of college Hes a journey man now ..
Jus sayn .Im glad the Bucs got him and im looking forward to watching…Go Bucs!
April 30th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
Grover – take a pill bro