Steelers Wanted Bucs’ No. 15 Pick, But…
May 17th, 2026
Resisted.
Before last month’s draft, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht made it crystal clear in conversations both on and off the record he wanted to trade back.
Badly wanted to trade back.
And, per long-time Steelers beat guy Gerry Dulac of the recently rescued Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Licht had his chance.
But…
Along the way of Licht looking to trade back, something unexpected happened. The Miami Mauler, defensive lineman Rueben Bain, kept falling. And falling. And falling. And before you know it, Bain was on the board when the Bucs were on the clock.
And the Steelers called. Suddenly, Licht’s long-anticipated desire played out. But fate stepped in the way. The Steelers wanted USC receiver Makai Lemon, Dulac told Rich Eisen on The Rich Eisen Show.
The Bucs wanted Bain worse.
The Steelers “thought they might have the opportunity with Tampa Bay at fifteen to trade up,” Dulac said. “But when Rueben Bain was still on the board — Tampa Bay obviously loved Rueben Bain, and so they weren’t willing to trade down.”
Licht confessed he waited a little while to play it safe and see if he got an offer he couldn’t refuse for the No. 15 pick. Apparently, the proposed swap from the Steelers wasn’t sweet enough and Bucs vice president of player personnel Mike Biehl broke the keyboard to select Bain.
Now it’s up to Bain and KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles to make sure Licht’s decision pans out.
May 17th, 2026 at 12:10 am
We’ll see.
May 17th, 2026 at 12:58 am
Just because you would have traded back doesn’t mean that would have worked out either ?
May 17th, 2026 at 2:35 am
Usually I’d consider trading down also but that was the only way I would’ve stayed put is if Bain was still there & fell to them. If he was gone I probably would’ve either have traded down or taken Mesidor & they probably still would’ve gotten him if they traded down some.
May 17th, 2026 at 2:37 am
Well if Pittsburgh wants to go check out Lemon some more they won’t have to go far. Just drive on over to Philadelphia.
May 17th, 2026 at 5:24 am
We had a perfect draft as is. We get 12 wins. We win the NFC South and the NFC Conference. We win the Super Bowl because of Defensive Player of the Year (not just “Rookie” of the Year…Super Bain. I make bank on my Hard Rock Bets app. Bowles retires in top. Zac Robinson earns the head coach position. Licht gets extended through 2050. Bucs stadium gets a billion dollar+ face lift. Mons Venus revenues skyrocket. Ira wins a tennis tournament with a stolen racket and lox bagel breath.
I mean, “Bruh!”
What a future to behold!
— Toddrodamas
May 17th, 2026 at 5:34 am
I gotta know how what’s with all the references to Todd Bowles eating Kit Kats?
May 17th, 2026 at 6:45 am
I wouldn’t call it a perfect draft, but I would call it very good.
May 17th, 2026 at 7:06 am
There may be a rubber room in your future Toddrodamas. LOL
May 17th, 2026 at 7:15 am
Todd is on the backside of an all night bender. Go to sleep wake up at 3pm and enjoy the hangover.
May 17th, 2026 at 7:27 am
I wonder who the pick wouldve been though if Bain wasnt there. It’ll come out eventually. My guess is they were going to take Ioane, but he went one pick before us…(like Jack Campbell did 3 or 4 years back) or it was a trade down for the right offer. But Bain fell to us and that was crazy….he’s at the least a top 6 to 8 pick. And the way he snatched that hat and is ready for business, he might be in contention for DROY.
Use him properly Todd!
May 17th, 2026 at 7:31 am
Bain hasn’t played a snap of real football yet. Pump the brakes a little.
Todd sees him more of a safety than a DE.
And as Joe often says, the next DE he develops will be his first.
Let’s not bank on a stubborn coach inspiring change.
May 17th, 2026 at 7:34 am
^ So playing in the national title game, and being dominant that year in college isnt real football Lynch? ok dude
May 17th, 2026 at 8:24 am
LynchMob50 could watch the Bucs win the Super Bowl and still complain about the shade of the confetti.
Every post is the same tired routine: panic, cry, predict doom, repeat. At this point you’re not analyzing football — you’re rehearsing for a weekly emotional breakdown.
May 17th, 2026 at 8:25 am
Shaq Barrett had 19.5 sacks in 2019. Of course, Bowles’ mentor Wade Phillips brought Barrett into the League and coached Ndamukong Suh whom Arians & Bowles snatched up as soon as Suh was a free agent. There’s only 1,696 NFL slots. You aren’t developing projects. Get players…and I don’t mean Desmond Watson. Let projects go elsewhere. If Jose Ramirez, Chris Braswell, Andre Anthony, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, etc. want to get developed, let someone else work on that. The Bucs don’t have the Durham Bulls.
May 17th, 2026 at 8:28 am
Todd eat Kit Kats. Everybody knows that!
Actually, not too long ago (a month or so?) Todd mentioned he sneaks Kit Kats sometimes and one of his press conferences.
May 17th, 2026 at 9:03 am
Reoccurring theme emerges at the end of the article. What in theory should be a great draft, has doubt cast upon it by the two pronged liability presented by our HC/DC, that must be overcome.
May 17th, 2026 at 9:12 am
Ask Bowles. He’s the one who eats them every pregame.
May 17th, 2026 at 9:19 am
Lynchmob, I wish I couldnt agree
May 17th, 2026 at 10:05 am
Kit kats and all of that processed stuff, BLEH! Maybe thats why his brain works the way it does…drop clear out PASS RUSHERS and DOMINATE DT’s into pass coverage??!!!
You’re onto something Joes….I stopped any of that crap included in my diet years ago. I’ll do potato chips sometimes one to two times a week….but that other crap, heck no!
May 17th, 2026 at 10:15 am
They were going to take a trade back and try to land Mesidor, until they realized Bain was falling. Pick was likely EDGE no matter what, and the chips fell in best case scenario territory for us.
Licht and Bowles both also said they knew around pick 13 he could fall to them. One could deduce they likely called LA or assumed they weren’t picking Bain w/Jared Verse & Byron Young on their roster. Possibly called Baltimore too, who just invested in Hendrickson this offseason.
Again, best case scenario literally fell into our laps.
May 17th, 2026 at 10:46 am
The team is younger,faster ,everyone’s azz is on the line Looking forward to the season Go Bucs! Great commentary Todd!
May 17th, 2026 at 11:23 am
Kit Kats, Chips Ahoy…Bowles keeps his boiler well stocked. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t have diabetes at this point.
Glad Bain being there took the decision outta Licht’s hands. Getting cute by trading back rarely if ever works.
May 17th, 2026 at 12:53 pm
Say what you want about Jason Licht but he is not stupid. However I can’t help but wonder what the Steelers offered. I am aware of the not so secret numbers game that all GMs seem to play regarding draft trades but I still wonder.
Go Bucs!
May 17th, 2026 at 12:54 pm
The Taints fans make me nauseous…
Go Bucs!
May 17th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
Nothing wrong with Bain but trusting Bowles to use him properly is asking far too much
May 18th, 2026 at 6:22 am
Did not know about the Kit Kats thanks folks. Thought maybe it was some clever joke I wasn’t in on. GO BUCS!
May 18th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
I watched tape of Baine going up against talented OT. He doesn’t do well.
There is a reason Baine dropped.
I wonder how far he would have fallen.
May 18th, 2026 at 5:33 pm
If the Steelers wanted to trade for the 15th pick, they would have included TJ Watt in their trade package.