Rueben Bain (groin) leads Bucs inactives vs. MIN

Head coach Todd Bowles also ruled out LB Josiah Trotter (shoulder) for Sunday’s game. Bain has gotten off to a slow start for the Bucs so far, totaling just one sack while appearing on 76 defensive snaps. The rookie first-rounder will miss at least one game after being sidelined in practice all week. We’ll see if he can get on the field for Week 4’s game against the Packers.

The No. 15 overall pick has had a quiet start to the season, with a single combined tackle being his only contribution to the box score so far. Bain began the season playing through a shoulder injury and could now miss time with the groin issue.

Schefter said Bain, the 15th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, should be ready to go for Week 1 against the Bengals. Bain has wowed Bucs coaches and beat writers throughout the summer with his work ethic and intensity and should be a key part of a Tampa defense that struggled through parts of the 2025 season, allowing the league’s 11th highest offensive success rate. The Bucs ranked last in QB pressure rate last season. That should change with Bain in the lineup.

The deal is worth $23.76 million and includes a $13.74 million signing bonus. Bain should start right away after collecting 46 tackles, 16.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks in his final season at Miami. The Buccaneers’ pass rush totaled 41 sacks last season, tying for 16th in the league. Bain’s slight Day 1 slide was fortuitous for Tampa Bay.

Tampa could use a versatile pass rusher after ranking dead last in QB pressure rate last season. Bain Jr. (6’2/263) put together a complete, high-impact season as the centerpiece of Miami’s front, finishing with 46 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks while posting an elite 90.9 percent tackle rate. His 21 havoc plays made him one of the most disruptive defenders in the nation, as evidenced by his 79.3 percent run-tackle rate and eight credited run stops. As a pass rusher, Bain generated a staggering 80 total pressures, good for a sterling 13.1 percent pressure rate, while creating 10 sacks overall and forcing a fumble in the process. He consistently won early in downs, recording a first pressure on 45 snaps with an average time-to-pressure of 2.71 seconds, underscoring his explosiveness off the ball. While he didn’t test at the Combine, much debate was had about his 30 ⅞” arms that are the third-shortest ever recorded for an EDGE player. Taken together, Bain’s profile reflects a tenacious, every-down defensive end who combined power, effort, and finishing ability to anchor one of the nation’s most stingy defensive fronts.

Rapoport cautioned viewers, saying he is not making any predictions, before listing Ohio State S Caleb Downs, Ohio State LB Sonny Styles and Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. as potential options. An ESPN report from earlier this month indicated the Commanders are focused on improving the pass defense this year. Adding any of the three players listed above would go a long way toward that end.

The Commanders held a big pre-draft Top 30 visit Tuesday, with many top prospects heading to Top Golf as part of a group outing of over 20 players. Holding the No. 7 pick in the draft, the Commanders have quite the list of visiting prospects, though it is absent quarterbacks with Jayden Daniels firmly holding down that position. In addition to top offensive players in Tate, Lemon and Love, the Commanders also hosted top defensive players in Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain. What Washington does with the pick is still up in the air, though now nearly an entire round’s worth of prospects can say they’ve played Top Golf in the DMV area.

Breer said he first heard this story in February and that the reason it didn’t come out earlier is that no team checking in on it felt it would impact his draft stock. Only a few teams raised the issue with Breer and those who did said “there was an explanation.” Bain’s 30 7/8-inch arms feel like a bigger issue for teams at this point in Breer’s eyes. He’ll likely go somewhere in the top-15 selections next Thursday.

The Read Optional’s Oliver Connolly broke the tragic news. Bain was cited for careless driving following a March 2024 collision. Four passengers were in his vehicle, two of whom were transported to the hospital. One passenger, Destiny Betts, entered a coma and passed away three months later. Bain’s charge was dropped approximately two weeks before Betts’ death. Betts’ family could still file a civil suit, though the family reportedly wishes Bain the best in his life and career. Bain was also reportedly cited for careless driving in 2025, with that incident later being dismissed. Per Connolly, multiple NFL sources “confirmed they are aware of the incident and are continuing to investigate.” One said that “it doesn’t feel like [Bain] has been transparent with us.” Another adds that they “are concerned about multiple incidents” and “are waiting for the other shoe.” Bain, 21, is widely regarded as one of the incoming class’ best EDGE prospects despite substandard size.