Sean McVay Talks Rueben Bain
May 19th, 2026
Rams head coach Sean McVay.
Some fans remain mystified how Miami Mauler edge rusher landed in the Bucs’ lap at No. 15 overall in the NFL Draft four weeks ago.
One reason is because Rams head coach Sean McVay and the Rams’ front office didn’t think Bain could get them into the Super Bowl this season, per McVay’s comments on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast today.
That was no knock on Bain. McVay said the Rams had “appreciation for” receiver Makai Lemon, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Bain when they were on the clock at No. 13. All three were available. Instead, the Rams shocked the draft and picked quarterback Ty Simpson.
After Bain was scooped up by Tampa Bay, Sadiq went at No. 16 to the Jets and Lemon found a home with the Eagles at No. 20.
Neither Bain, Lemon nor Sadiq were instant Super Bowl cogs, per McVay, so he said that’s why the Rams opted to take a QB they believe can take over for Matthew Stafford whenever that day comes.
Joe wonders if McVay would have been singing a different tune on Bain if the Rams didn’t have two Pro Bowl edge rushers last season, Jared Verse and Byron Young.
May 19th, 2026 at 8:47 pm
I’m glad the Bucs got Bain, but Mcvay will take him out of the game later on this year.
May 19th, 2026 at 8:56 pm
We’ll see if he can take.them all out at the same time soon enough.. This year IS different in QB seeking monsters on this team. We’ll see..
May 19th, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Agree if the Rams did not have a good d line they would have taken Bain. Facts are they just had other needs.
May 19th, 2026 at 9:07 pm
Well they did not need a QB in the first round?
May 19th, 2026 at 9:28 pm
McVay will once again put the Pom Pom waivers into shocking silence after he dismantles the Bowles Swiss cheeses pass defense again in 2026!!!
May 19th, 2026 at 9:29 pm
McVay didn’t think Bain could get them to a Super Bowl this season….
But Ty Simpson can. WTF is he talking about?!
(Or how bad was the disconnect with Les on Draft night)
That don’t make any sense
May 19th, 2026 at 9:32 pm
It is nice to see another team waste a pick on a QB who is not likely to do anything for them this year, and who likely does nothing to hurt the Bucs chances against them.
This year, if Trotter is any good at all in coverage, McVay will not again benefit from Stafford completing 22 of 28 “short passes”, ten of which gained double digit yardage including a 31 yarder.
McVay probably would have been better served to take a higher rated OT or a coverage ILB in the first round.
Given the Rams OLB room, if the Bucs are anywhere near 100% on offense when they play the Rams, it should be short passes to Godwin, Sharp and Gainwell shredding the Rams coverage ILBs this year, and creating running and passing opportunities for everyone else in the process. But, play design, play calling, and check downs are going to be key. It needs to be snap it and zap it, or else play action and RPOs with lots of motion and misdirection. Without setting the table with the short game, Baker is going to be beaten up again if he just drops straight back and waits for someone to come open deep downfield.
May 19th, 2026 at 9:38 pm
I think Bain has a bigger chip on his shoulder than Baker did. He’s going to turn into a terror.
May 19th, 2026 at 9:46 pm
This would be hilarious if Bain ends up turning into a superstar & everyone ended up passing on him.
May 19th, 2026 at 9:56 pm
“This year, if Trotter is any good at all in coverage”
I thought the knock on him was he’s not good in coverage.
May 19th, 2026 at 10:01 pm
So Bain wouldn’t get them to the Super Bowl??? I suppose Simpson will?
May 19th, 2026 at 10:06 pm
Trotter got better and better at coverage as the season progressed last year.
He’ll be fine and Anzalone is already solid. RBs and TEs will not have a field day on us this season. Added pressure on opposing QBs is a must as well
May 19th, 2026 at 10:12 pm
McCoy was mad, and I don’t blame him. Wasted pick.
And can someone please tell me where Bain was supposed to be picked at? Everybody keeps saying he fell in the draft as if he went from the expectation of being number 1 to dropping to the third round.
May 19th, 2026 at 10:46 pm
The Rams spent their first round pick because found a development QB that they were looking for in Simpson. It was obviously a priority to them — pretty much letting the rest of the league know that Stafford is intending to hang up his cleats at the end of the ’26 season?