Rueben Bain A Popular Pick For “Defensive Rookie Of The Year”
May 2nd, 2026
Rookie Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain.
Choo… choo! The Rueben Bain hype train continues to roll down the tracks.
Even our friends in the desert are getting in on the act. Per Matt Severance of CBS, Bain is a popular bet among football fans to win “Defensive Player of the Year.”
The two players taking the most action thus far at the sportsbook are Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs.
Most NFL Draft prognosticators expected both Bain Jr. and Downs to be top-10 picks in last Thursday’s first round in Pittsburgh. Miami’s Bain Jr., for example, was the No. 2 overall prospect on the CBS Sports Big Board and Ohio State’s Downs No. 8.
Bain Jr., meanwhile, has taken the most money and third-most wagers at the book after sliding all the to No. 15. … He has moved from an open of +600 to a +550 second-favorite behind Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey (+450), the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Jets.
Severance noted that despite all the fantastic defenders in Bucs history, dating all the way back to the great Lee Roy Selmon and also including Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks and Lavonte David, the Bucs have never had a defensive player named “Defensive Rookie of the Year.”
Could the beastly Bain break the glass ceiling? Usually, these awards go to players who make a ton of splash plays like interceptions, fumble recoveries or touchdowns.
So Bain might have to turn into a sack monster right away, though edge rusher Jared Verse of the Rams won the 2024 Defenive Player of the Year award with just 4 1/2 sacks, and terror Texans edge rusher won it in 2023 with seven sacks.
May 2nd, 2026 at 1:22 am
This is freaking ridiculous! I mean the NFL and everyone in it is freaking ridiculous! Same crap every season.
May 2nd, 2026 at 5:11 am
Bain CERTAINLY HAS a chance to take it this year, but in my view he’ll be severely handicapped by a truth that any and all Buccaneer fans are more than sharply aware of. And of course that’s the DC that treats Edge Rushers like the JBF commenter going by one of what I’m sure is “multiple account names”, but lately calls herself “JACK”.
Bowles treats an edge rusher like a waterboy instead of a True Weapon and HAS NO CLUE as how to train, coach, or use properly that CRUCIAL POSITION on ANY TYPE of football team from pee wee to the pro’s. Bowles has NO CLUE! Since Bowles honestly wants the secondary to CONSTANTLY leave the team WIDE OPEN FOR FAILURE because he REFUSES to use the Edge Rusher division properly, he has lost us MANY, MANY GAMES! His philosophy IS SO FLAWED that the ENTIRE DEFENSE….. Just stopped listening to him. He lost the team. And to be honest… I’m Actually Surprised he didn’t lose them sooner. Once the Entire Team realized that Bowles IS BEYOND A DOUBT A DOLT, it was OVER!
Why do we HAVE TO bring in a GIANT influx of new defensive players???? Well it’s rather OBVIOUS isn’t it….. He either couldn’t coach them up, or he’s SO DELUSIONAL that his eyes are crossing! You pick your own poison. REGARDLESS!, He has NO BUSINESS being in charge of our beloved team!
And of course there’s that woman I was referred to calling herself JACK “these days”, (going forward, I’m going to refer to her as “Lip Stick Jackie”) that has NO CLUE as how to make herself useful to her man. WHICH IS WEIRD CONSIDERING! Now Lip Stick Jackie, being a lady boy from Thailand, well you would think that JACKIE would be proficient at satisfying him as she was at plying her trade back home where her man found her in that strange land where confused lady boys come from.
O WELL…. I guess that LIP STICK JACKIE has forgotten how to NOT paint targets (or other things) ALL OVER HERSELF! Just As Bozo has forgotten How To run a DEFENSE! Lip Stick Jackie has forgotten how she should watch where she puts her mouth before someone far smarter than her takes notice….
May 2nd, 2026 at 5:13 am
If Bain can pull it off with Bowles running the show, then “YOU CAN BELIEVE HE EARNED IT!” 110%
May 2nd, 2026 at 5:27 am
Well, I’m delighted with the pick, but maybe…just maybe…we should play some football before we polish this guys knob.
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:13 am
Why can’t we (Licht & the brass) go down to Miami and hire Jason Taylor to transform our d-line like he’s done with Miami?!
Why?
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:18 am
I just did some research regarding what Jason Taylor likely earns:
What he likely earns (realistic range)
Since his exact pay isn’t published, the best way to estimate is by comparing similar roles:
* ACC assistant coaches typically earn:
* Lower-end assistants: ~$100K–$300K
* Position coaches at major programs (like Miami): ~$300K–$700K+
* High-profile former NFL stars (like Taylor) can command upper-tier assistant pay, especially given recruiting value.
? Based on that, a reasonable estimate:
~$300,000 to $600,000 per year (likely range)
Jason, go get Jason! He’s a rounding error in the big picture, financially.
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:29 am
LOL!
I hope you are right but can we at least have one practice before we crown anyone?
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:36 am
Marine Buc Says:
May 2nd, 2026 at 6:29 am
LOL!
I hope you are right but can we at least have one practice before we crown anyone?
Agreed, dude hasn’t even put a helmet on yet..
May 2nd, 2026 at 7:21 am
I know you guys don’t want to hear the Bain talk
But, when is the last time we have heard any talk like this about another Buccaneer? I actually enjoy it. It helps get over all the Bowles talk
May 2nd, 2026 at 7:26 am
Gambling is a plight on this country.
May 2nd, 2026 at 7:34 am
bain might just bring the frothiness back……sapp was the last guy…
honorable mention to jpp and suh
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:05 am
But how will he do at flag football in The Pro Bowl with those short arms.
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:08 am
The Bowles talk is necessary to keep this ridiculous notion in check. If B-Rex was plying for Saleh, or Schottenheimer, or one of the Harbaughs, or even any mediocre coach who didn’t have a superiority complex, he’d have a chance. And given that Bucs training and Medical will decide at the end of August that he should have an operation, the organizational ineptitude will be in rare form.
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:11 am
The Bowles talk is vital to put this ridiculous notion in perspective. If B-Rex was playing for Saleh, or Schottenheimer, or one of the Harbaughs, or even any mediocre coach who didn’t have a superiority complex, he’d have a chance. And given that Bucs training and Medical will decide at the end of August that he should have an operation to lengthen his arms or something, the organizational ineptitude will seal his fate.
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:27 am
Just go ahead and put him in the ROH. Better yet, the HOF. Let’s name a street for him.
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:33 am
How about some love for Santana Dotson.
Dale Carter was the 1992 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. While both players had stellar rookie seasons in 1992, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Dale Carter won the primary AP award, while Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Santana Dotson won the 1992 Pro Football Weekly/NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:33 am
Little early?
May 2nd, 2026 at 9:37 am
Let’s slow down. Really like the Bain pick but he hasn’t played one defensive snap yet.
May 2nd, 2026 at 9:46 am
Keep Bowles as far away as possible from Bain and Bain will have a chance at being Great!!
May 2nd, 2026 at 10:10 am
I don’t listen to hype
The only thing I focus on is, the players game game performance
That’s the most logical way to go
May 2nd, 2026 at 11:49 am
HC Grover Says:
May 2nd, 2026 at 8:05 am
But how will he do at flag football in The Pro Bowl with those short arms.
I thought you said you were going away until the season starts. I guess you ran out of coloring books
May 2nd, 2026 at 11:49 am
There is definitely a chance the bend and strength bain has is incredible I hope he does go bucs
May 2nd, 2026 at 12:15 pm
At least the hype is coming from national media and sports books instead of just being a homer phenomenon. Bain was a highly touted draft pick before some news came out at the end of the draft build up. We may have the steal of the draft. There is some legitimate reasoning behind outlandish hype. We’ll soon know when he gets on the field if he doesn’t blow a knee or a hammy in camp. Go B-rex. Go Bucs!
May 2nd, 2026 at 12:55 pm
I appreciate the hype, but what’s next he’s a Hall of Famer? Give the guy a break. He hasn’t even had his first NFL practice. I think he can be a real good player but the amount of pressure everyone is putting on his shoulders is ridiculous. Hopefully some of the Vets take him under their wing and help him deal with all of this.
May 2nd, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Jack,
You are spot on !! obvious one is obviously drunk and needs anger management
I said something he didn’t like and he cried like a little bipolar bitch.
May 2nd, 2026 at 9:59 pm
Does anyone know what Bowles’ defensive philosophy is ?
Does Bowles even know the answer to that question ?
Scott is a nickel used to playing with Bain in a 4-3 defense and they have a rhythm developed over time that works well.
Will Bain suffer an identity crisis when Bowles tries to utilize him as an OL and an OLB that has a negative impact on Scott ?
Bowles is fond of saying “he can do lots of things”.
Is that code for “We are going to experiment like a good mad scientist and screw up his head so bad that he will become very unhappy and unproductive because we won’t just let him do what he does best.” ?
May 3rd, 2026 at 1:06 am
Sal, any time Bowles has been unchecked without a head coach to oversee his “nothing over your heads” syndrome, his philosophy seems to be “keep it close until the 4th quarter, get me a lead so I can call some play at a critical moment that the defense can’t execute and we lose.”
May 3rd, 2026 at 7:23 pm
Bains DC is Todd Bowles so you can take his name off that list. He has to learn the futile task of how to chase down the rbs and receivers he has to to cover. He’ll be trained to go against his instincts to rush after the qb full blast unsure of things at times because of his other assignment. This confusion will stunt his growth as a player.