A Call For Rueben Bain To Focus On The “Absurd”
June 9th, 2026
The Bucs are talking internally about moving first-round draft pick Rueben Bain all across the line of scrimmage.
Heck, he might even drop into coverage as a Todd Bowles edge rusher. (Gasp!) Bain is a unique blend of power, flexiblity, speed and relentlessness.
So what’s next for Bain in the NFL?
Joe heard Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau, Buffalo’s first-round draft pick in 2021, talk about Bain on the CanesInSight podcast. It’s dedicated to the Miami Hurricanes, whose football team is where Rousseau and Bain became stars.
Rousseau was glowing about Bain and raved about how he looked like an NFL player and praised his hand usage. He also praised Bain’s trademark Gumby-like bend off the edge and called it “absurd.”
“The way Bain bends the corner, like that’s his bread and butter. He also can go speed-to-power,” Rousseau said.
Rousseau sounded like he doesn’t want Bain to take on too much as a rookie. The veteran said confidence is absolutely critical for a rookie at their position.
“If you get to the league and you try to start being a different player because of what people are saying, it’s like, ‘No, you gotta stick to what you’re good at,'” Rousseau said.
Amen to that. Joe appreciates the diversity in Bain’s game. But it shouldn’t hurt the Bucs — and it might help — to let Bain settle in as a true edge rusher.
You know, do things he was great at in college and build on that foundation.
June 9th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
Don’t get cute Todd keep it simple let him attack the QB and set the edge for the run.
June 9th, 2026 at 4:19 pm
Actually, Bain may be better in coverage than anyone else we have….
Trying to use a bit of reverse psychology on Todd…..
June 9th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
Who really thinks Bain will be used to his strengths? Bowels will use his genius to transform Bain into a mediocre coverage guy like he has done with all the ones before
June 9th, 2026 at 4:20 pm
Bowles doesn’t have enough between the ears to do what’s right.
Bain will have a new HC and DC in 2027. He’s not a cover DE.
It’s already being telegraphed that Todd refuses to face reality.
The fraud guru is going down in flames. Fresh hot melted Swiss cheese.
4-13
June 9th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
I think all it really means is they will look to get him mismatches, but I agree that should be later, once he’s established himself on the edge.
June 9th, 2026 at 4:53 pm
Let’s take a deep breath here Joebucs Krew!
“Keep Bain at edge and don’t ask too much of him” is exactly what opposing offensive coordinators want to hear.
Imagine drafting an elite athlete with rare bend, t-Rex power, versatility, then intentionally making him easier to block because you’re afraid he might have to think. GTFO
The NFL isn’t college. Great coaches don’t reduce talent; they maximize it!!
If T-Rex Bain can rush from the edge, kick inside, stunt, loop, and occasionally drop, offenses have to prepare for all of it. If he only lines up at edge, you’ve already done half their scouting work for them.
Todd Bowles didn’t draft a Swiss Army knife to use it as a butter knife.
LFG!!
Ring Me
June 9th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
I hope I’m wrong, but he could be held back by poor coaching. Resent history clearly shows this defense can’t get a stop when needed. Could be a long year ?
June 9th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
If Bowles fails again this season, yes he failed last season, he’s gone. Simple as that.
June 9th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
Can he at least cover Cincys TEs instead of Chase or Higgins week 1.
June 9th, 2026 at 5:17 pm
Knowing Bowles, he’s gonna put too much on Bain and screw up his head. Keep it simple Todd!
June 9th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
Yes. Yes! Todd, drop him into coverage to ensure a new coaching staff next year. Maybe he can return punts and kick field goals for us too. Only Todd can misuse players at this level.
June 9th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Kgh4life … Not sure you can mess with Bain’s head.
Borimex? We used to be a little market in Riverview called Borimex but changed the name to Fresh Market. Brings back memories, really good deli food!
June 9th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
@KABucs
?
Borimex had great deli food. Bain might be serving something different this fall “quarterback sandwiches!
LFG
June 9th, 2026 at 7:23 pm
Really excited about the D. I think we need 1 more draft BUT we have the talent now @ all 3 levels to be top 10 if we can stay relatively healthy.
Our 4 man rush will have some potency but Bains going to drop in coverage a few times. Get over it. It’s part of modern NFL defense across the league. Hopefully when he does Scott or Parrish or Trotter, Anzolone, etc get a free run and smoke the QB.
June 9th, 2026 at 7:24 pm
Let’s welcome Bain to the Bay area by telling him his coach and qb suck! 328 wynchmob ,all the trolls etc ..your an embarrassment to the community the players and true fans alike worthless! Im sure you made all your moms proud!
June 9th, 2026 at 7:29 pm
GREAT! Another one of Bowles “Jack of all trades, Master of None” experiments!
June 9th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
If Todd can remember what got him his only true success…he will employ a heavy front (5 man) and let Bain and YaYa get after the qb relentlessly
It looks like he is coming around by the personnel moves, but is that just the FO knowing what we need and praying Todd actually does it…
June 9th, 2026 at 7:48 pm
“Don’t get cute Todd keep it simple let him attack the QB and set the edge for the run.“
What if it’s an RPO?
June 9th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
“The NFL isn’t college. Great coaches don’t reduce talent; they maximize it!!
If T-Rex Bain can rush from the edge, kick inside, stunt, loop, and occasionally drop, offenses have to prepare for all of it. If he only lines up at edge, you’ve already done half their scouting work for them.”
Have mercy, a coherent, somewhat informed, and football logic based reply.
Welcome/Bienvidos Borimex
Estos chicos son divertidísimos ?
June 9th, 2026 at 8:14 pm
Sounds like we need Mesi for qb and Beckam for HC! UGH! Rather watch paint dry!
June 9th, 2026 at 8:21 pm
All Bowles has to do is treat Bain just like he did Shaq Barrett who had 19.5 sacks for him once.
I think he can figure it out.
June 9th, 2026 at 8:21 pm
Well, one you know Bowles, Bain will absolutely be in coverage at some point. The question can he cover better than Morrison and McColumn? I believe he can or could. However, that is not saying much. I hope they keep it simple for him and let him develop before putting to much on him. He is a rookie after all
June 9th, 2026 at 8:45 pm
Yeah Joe, you HIT the Nail RIGHT ON the Head!
Bowles is THE WORST possible option as a coach for Bain to start out with.. THE WORST!
I’m so sick of Bowles ” Bozo Bizzarro World Backwards CRAP”, THAT I WANT TO PUKE! ESPECIALLY ALL OVER BOZO BOWLES! Personally if I could!
It’s such a defeating feeling KNOWING that the MORON is STILL RUINING MY TEAM!
And it UTTERLY makes me cringe to think of the damage he’s GOING TO DO to the first decent edge rusher we’ve had since the what, the 90’s? That we btw, threw away almost immediately! He went on and is rated a “to be” “hall of famer”!
280 ~ 300+lb Edge rushers and D linemen sent “OUT” to cover TE’s and receivers while sending the under 200lb secondary to “rush the passer”… IDIOT!
I’m in your camp Joe. The disgust and utter disdain….. IS REAL!
June 9th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
Can we have a pact that when we get to 5 wins LynchMob leaves the site?
June 9th, 2026 at 10:17 pm
@obvious one
The irony is incredible.
You call Bowles a moron, yet he’s spent nearly 30 years coaching defense in the NFL, owns a Super Bowl ring, has coordinated multiple top defenses, and is trusted to develop first-round talent.
Meanwhile, your entire scouting report is “I WANT TO PUKE!!!” and random capitalization.
You act like Bain is some fragile vase that will shatter if he lines up anywhere except one spot. Put some respect on T-Rex Bain he is on demon time. The NFL’s best defenders are versatile and for that is why offenses hate them.
The good news is we only have to wait a few months. Bain will either look like the first-round talent, or we’ll discover that an anonymous commenter (you) with a broken CAPS LOCK key knew more than every NFL personnel department.
LFG
Enough of the negativity we all look forward to ‘26
Ring me
June 9th, 2026 at 10:48 pm
Just want to remind everyone that trying to do it all is what messed up Winston (and his bad vision). There is long history that shows us there is adjustment period for like 99% of rookies. He is going from facing the ACC and lining up against many players who will never see the NFL to the smartest, most talented, fastest, strongest players. He will have an adjustment period so let’s hope they keep it simple for him.
June 9th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
I am so sick of this Bowles defense trying to move players all over the place. How about letting players focus on one job and perfecting that first?
Especially rookies.
How many lineman have wasted a year or two because we had them playing in different places?
Once again, this team has a lot of potential, but if they do not win the division, have more than 10 wins, and win at least one playoff game, Bowles needs to go
June 9th, 2026 at 11:25 pm
David, some fans act like every time a defender lines up somewhere different, it’s football malpractice.
Meanwhile, the rest of the NFL calls it modern defense.
You say rookies should focus on one job first. Fair enough. Except Rueben Bain’s biggest strength is versatility. Why would you draft a player with multiple weapons and then intentionally use only one of them?
And this narrative that Bowles has ruined players by moving them around is getting old. Name them.
Who exactly was “wasted?”
Antoine Winfield Jr. became an All-Pro.
Shaq Barrett had 19.5 sacks.
Vita Vea became one of the most dominant interior defenders in football.
Lavonte David played at a high level after more than a decade.
For a coach supposedly destroying talent, he sure has a strange habit of producing elite players.
The funniest part is that if Bain racks up 10+ sacks this year from multiple alignments, the same people complaining today will pretend they supported it all along.
Some fans don’t want innovation. They want Madden depth charts from 2008.
ENOUGH! Get behind this team no matter what!
LFG
Ring me
June 10th, 2026 at 5:14 am
I try to stay positive about Bowles but bro… if he has Bain, a 4-3 DE, running around in the flat covering for more than 1% of his snaps… I will cut that out real quick. Honestly don’t really want to see him playing inside too much either. He has that rare bend, keep him outside!
If Walker turns out to be fulfilling the hype he had last year, then thats great. You need rotation, you need depth.
I am still salty that we let Coen walk out the door, and he might just be a generational talent. So if Bowles is back on his BS then lets just flip the switch and start over.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:03 am
He’s going to be like JPP.
Like Sapp.
On the field 99% of the snaps.
OLB on 1st and 2nd down.
DT/DE on 3rd down.
Mohammed at OLB on 3rd down.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:30 am
I have noticed Ruben’s arms are shorter than his legs, which seems to be a real concern in the NFL — at least until he plants some QBs and RBs in the backfield.
June 10th, 2026 at 10:03 am
Bowles loves chaos and confusion. Loves versatility from his players. So his prized rookie will immediately need to learn 10 other positions, for 15 different formations, each with multiple coverage concepts. Each concept contains at least three variants that dictate adjustments that every player must read the same.
Chaos and confusion are the staples of Todd Bowles’s defense, and no one exhibits those staples more than his own players.
Good luck B-Rex.
June 10th, 2026 at 10:26 am
280 lb. Kancey has enough trouble staying healthy playing DT inside. Now they think it’s a good idea to put 260 lb. Bain in that spot? Surely, we can’t be that stupid. I’m thinking we should be putting CK outside more and letting the beasts we have play inside where they belong. We now have a stable of good 300 lb.+ guys to play inside. Why in the world would you put Bain in there to get mauled when it is not necessary? Try some other genius experiment. Geeez.
June 10th, 2026 at 10:27 am
Yes Joe. Absurd is the correct descriptor.
June 10th, 2026 at 11:51 am
Thing is I bet Bain can cover if asked
Im not able to armchair coach but if we win more than 8 next yr I will be pleasantly surprised