Paging Rueben Bain
September 21st, 2026
Missing persons report.
So far — so far! — the buzz isn’t living up to the hype. Not remotely so.
Look, Joe is not going to bang on a rookie who has only played two games. But the hype on Bucs rookie outside linebacker Rueben Bain was off the hook this offseason. It was as if Bain was going to single-handedly be the next Lee Roy Selmon while on the side curing world hunger and solving climate change.
He has done none of the above. Bain has easily been the most hyped Bucs rookie since America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston. There is no meat on those bones, however.
At least in Jameis’ second NFL game, he threw for 207 yards and added a touchdown, guiding the Bucs to a win over Sean Payton and the slimy Saints in Lincoln’s Tomb.
So far in two games, Bain has one tackle. That’s it. On Sunday, there was an all-points bulletin put out by the Bucs trying to locate Bain’s whereabouts.
Look, it is hard for a rookie edge rusher to dominate in the NFL. And a rookie edge rusher in Todd Bowles’ defense? Talk about an unreal steep climb to dominate.
Right now, the way Bain looks, Joe always hates to suggest it, but he looks like an aggressive, more muscular Chris Braswell. Once Bain goes inside and faces a couple of defenders, he gets lost in the wash.
Joe is confident Bain will get the hang of things eventually. But right now just using the naked eye, it seems Anthony Nelson is a better option.
And with the Bucs being 0-2, and that’s before the annual Bowles midseason swoon and with a pair of very likely more losses coming because Bowles still cannot beat an AFC North team, Joe doesn’t know if Bowles has the luxury of just leaving Bain out on the field and letting him work out his problems.
Bowles needs wins. In a hurry. Or Bain will be coached up next spring by someone else.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:03 am
I’m so mad at this team, but honestly, it’s pretty much what I expected with Todd Bowles. That being said, I don’t think it’s entirely his fault. Baker has had opportunities to make two big throws over the last two games, and if he makes those throws, the Bucs are probably 2-0 right now. That’s what makes this even more frustrating—there have been chances to win both games, but they just haven’t been able to make the plays when it matters most. Or Anzalone making 1 or 2 tackles it’s just been BAD BAD FOOTBALL!!!
September 21st, 2026 at 12:03 am
Bye Todd, adios….dont let the door knob hit ya where the good Lord split ya!!!!
September 21st, 2026 at 12:05 am
If the defense did their job and kept opponents 17 points or less, we’d be undefeated right now! But no, Bowles and Bain – the B&B connection – can’t get it done and instead are putting undue pressure on our top paid franchise QB to have to put up huge numbers just to keep the Bucs in the games.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:06 am
Owners should be Paging coach Sean McDermitt!
September 21st, 2026 at 12:06 am
Bust?????
September 21st, 2026 at 12:06 am
31 other teams evaluated this kid objectively. He is that man, indeed.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:17 am
I kept saying to much hype on the guy. Yes hard for olb to dominate in the first year. I think he will show up but like the rest of the team it may not be til the second hall of the season. Right now the defense is who we thought they were but worse. Bain is a rookie and plays like it. Morrison is underdeveloped, McColumn is well, McColumn we know to well. The sad part Anzalone is not much of an improvement over Dennis if any. The offensive line not what we thought, Baker continues to play average. The bright spot, Trotter , Scott and maybe Hurst. What has changed with the receivers?. Gainwell not an upgrade to White. Zac not really much improved over Gizzard. The result is yes a bad team. I see no hope for Bowlers at this point. The only question is who replaces and when. I don’t see him past mid season. Does Tomlin accept a job?
September 21st, 2026 at 12:17 am
I think the Bain thing is over blown. It takes time to develop edge rushers and this genius coaching staff has never been able to do that. The best thing for Bain is to get a new coach that knows how to use him. This team has way bigger issues than Bain at the moment. The offensive line, Baker and his turnovers plus the offensive playcalling. Think we should probably start there before we worry about a rookie who has only played 2 NFL regular season games.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:18 am
Alligator arms can’t hack it with the big boys.
Typical Jason Licht bust. And a Bowles scheme casualty.
I want to hear from the Pom Pom squad now.
Floormatt???? Steve Vag?????
How’s that Bowles doll treating you boys now? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
Of course it’s early, but the eyeball test on Bain is not good. He looks really small out there and isn’t compensating it with unique speed or strength.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
Turns out he only looked good against fellow short arms haver Luke that was going half speed in camp.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
I kept saying to much hype on the guy. Yes hard for olb to dominate in the first year. I think he will show up but like the rest of the team it may not be til the second hall of the season. Right now the defense is who we thought they were but worse. Bain is a rookie and plays like it. Morrison is underdeveloped, McColumn is well, McColumn we know to well. The sad part Anzalone is not much of an improvement over Dennis if any. The offensive line not what we thought, Baker continues to play average. The bright spot, Trotter , Scott and maybe Hurst. What has changed with the receivers?. Gainwell not an upgrade to White. Zac not really much improved over Gizzard. The only question is when is Bowles let go?.will Tomlin take a job mid season?
September 21st, 2026 at 12:25 am
missing person alert…
he could be on the back of a milk carton at your local bodega this week
September 21st, 2026 at 12:36 am
Man, I tell you the “Joe” who said Bowles would make him look like Conrad Bain was 100% correct, along with saying the Bucs blew it by taking Devin White, and nailing the Egbuka pick.
September 21st, 2026 at 12:39 am
Pain lives in memory more than flesh…..how far are we going Glazers/Jason?
Its time!
September 21st, 2026 at 12:41 am
We’ve got 5 years mediocrity from Bowles but we’ll criticize Bain after two games lol wow. It ain’t the players it’s Todd Bowles and his scheme and it’s the reason why a franchise can fire say a Pete Carroll hire an unknown coach and end up in the Super Bowl the next year. The coach and his scheme suck
September 21st, 2026 at 1:01 am
Bain and the Bucs will be better off with a completely new defensive coaching staff.
Bowles defensive scheme had it’s time, but the kinds of players needed to make it work now are Pro Bowlers and All Pros. He had those in 2020 but they’re long gone. That he needs studs just to be average or above in the rankings is not how coaching works.
He should’ve been let go last year, which was widely believed even then. Now everyone is stuck with him until January.
September 21st, 2026 at 1:13 am
Poorly coached team! Every Bucs fan knew it and called for the change yet ownership ignored it. We lost Evans because of it and now we are losing another season due to it. Bowels failed the Jets and ripped that team apart and is doing the same to the Bucs! Why did we bring Zach Robinson in? Never saw him do anything good. Anyways it is what it is. History always repeats itself. Here comes Shaun King. Go Bucs!
September 21st, 2026 at 1:40 am
Buc4L: Untrue, Robinson destroyed Bowles defense last year with Atlanta, but that’s not saying much.
September 21st, 2026 at 1:42 am
I sort of got a solution…
If we can get the Redskins on the phone tonight and get them to take Baker, the Bucs will still be stuck with $15M dead cap next year, and $45M dead cap in 2027, but that’s the best way to get him off the books.
If we wait, it gets a lot more expensive to dump Baker.
I’d try to get them while they’re down, and trade Baker for an injured Daniels straight-up. Plus we’d have two QBs named J. Daniels, that has to account for something.
To be sure, I doubt the Redskins would be dumb enough to take that deal, but who knows, they could just be fed up with Daniels getting hurt and think anything is better.
September 21st, 2026 at 1:43 am
HeartyDickerson Says:
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
Of course it’s early, but the eyeball test on Bain is not good. He looks really small out there and isn’t compensating it with unique speed or strength.
————
Yeah, 2 games in, and he’s not an ALL-PRO yet.
Time to cut him and move on.
Good call.
September 21st, 2026 at 1:55 am
The next time Bowles develops a pass rusher….it. will. be. his. first.
This season was over the second the Glazer conglomerate decided last offseason that they didnt want to compete with the rest of the league for the best candidates.
September 21st, 2026 at 1:59 am
Need to get things figured out because a legit DC is coming this week. Per ESP:
“Flores’ defense blitzed Packers QB Jordan Love on 72% of his dropbacks in Week 1 and then turned it up even further Sunday, blitzing Bears QB Caleb Williams on 78% of his dropbacks. That’s the highest blitz percentage any NFL quarterback has faced since Detroit’s Jared Goff was blitzed on 79% of his dropbacks in Week 18 of the 2023 season by … yep, the Vikings. What’s remarkable about what Flores is doing right now isn’t just that he’s blitzing at such an extreme rate — it’s that his players are so bought into what he’s calling, and so practiced at executing it, that it feels like Flores could call anything he wants right now and count on it to work.”
Imagine that, players understanding they have a legit coach & buying in & executing at a very high level. It’s almost as if coaching and attitude matters… crazy concept.
September 21st, 2026 at 2:05 am
Rod Munch Says:
September 21st, 2026 at 1:43 am
HeartyDickerson Says:
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
Of course it’s early, but the eyeball test on Bain is not good. He looks really small out there and isn’t compensating it with unique speed or strength.
————
“Yeah, 2 games in, and he’s not an ALL-PRO yet.
Time to cut him and move on.
Good call.”
Haha queue the obvious derpy overreaction response. As said in my very first words, it’s early, but he shows no overly unique physical traits you’d hope to see n a 1st rounder.
September 21st, 2026 at 2:40 am
Rod Munch Says:
September 21st, 2026 at 1:43 am
HeartyDickerson Says:
September 21st, 2026 at 12:20 am
Of course it’s early, but the eyeball test on Bain is not good. He looks really small out there and isn’t compensating it with unique speed or strength.
————
Yeah, 2 games in, and he’s not an ALL-PRO yet.
Time to cut him and move on.
Good call.
^^^^^^^^^
Ah, the meat whistle who thinks the Bucs are going to trade Baker is critical. You can’t make this sh!t up! Hahahaha