QUESTION: What number of sacks do you assume Rueben Bain Jr. may have this season? Over/beneath 6.5.
ANSWER: It is a nice query and one thing I’ve contemplated for some time since Tampa Bay drafted outdoors linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. with its first-round choose. Bain is coming off a career-high 9.5-sack season at Miami, and he totaled 20.5 sacks in three years. As a freshman in 2023, Bain had 7.5 sacks in 13 video games after which had 3.5 sacks in 9 video games as a sophomore. So he’s proven he can actually get after the quarterback.
Fellow first-round choose Akheem Mesidor, who was drafted by the Chargers, had 12.5 sacks taking part in reverse him at defensive finish, and Hurricanes defensive sort out Ahmad Moten performed subsequent to Bain and had 4.5 sacks. So what number of potential sacks did Bain assist create for others as a result of he was the one drawing extra double groups and getting extra consideration from opposing offensive coordinators when it got here to recreation plans?
Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Picture by: IMAGN Photos – Kim Klement
Bain was a drive multipler at Miami, and I feel he’ll be that manner in Tampa Bay, too – serving to to create sack alternatives for his Bucs teammates. On the identical time, I do assume he has the flexibility to get his personal sacks, particularly in one-on-one conditions. Bain is a gifted cross rusher with large bend and ankle flexion that enables him to win his rush on the prime of the arc and switch the nook and get to the quarterback. And he has a variety of energy in his core and decrease physique that enables him to win with speed-to-power.
Yaya Diaby was a one-year marvel at Louisville the place he had 9 sacks as a senior after having simply 1.5 the yr prior. But he led the Bucs in sacks as a rookie with 7.5 – regardless that he didn’t begin till midway by way of his first season in Tampa Bay. I may see Bain placing up the same rookie marketing campaign, particularly reverse Diaby and alongside defensive tackles Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, who could get extra double groups than the rookie will face.
With 6.5 being your mark, I’d take the over and counsel seven and even 7.5. I feel Bain ought to end his rookie someplace between 5-8 sacks, and if that occurs, he must be in competition for NFL Defensive Rookie of the 12 months honors.
QUESTION: Are you able to guys make a uniform schedule prediction? Some good alternatives to put on the all-pewter uniforms – in Dallas or on Monday Night time Soccer vs. Carolina.
ANSWER: My hope is that the pewter jersey – and thus the all-pewter ensemble – returns in 2026. I’ve been informed that’s within the works for this season, after the crew pivoted away from the pewter jerseys and to the creamiscle uniforms upon their return in 2023, after which launched the 1976 all-white throwbacks with the orange numbers final yr to commemorate the franchise’s fiftieth season.
We right here at Pewter Report are keen on the pewter jerseys – and every thing pewter, actually. I’ve lobbied the powers that be for his or her return this yr and I feel it’s going to occur. Nevertheless, it seemingly gained’t be utilized in primetime, because it’s an alternate look. So I doubt the Bucs will break it out on Thursday Night time Soccer in Dallas, at Chicago on Sunday Night time Soccer or at dwelling on Monday Night time Soccer versus Carolina, however we’ll see. The crew likes to put on purple jerseys in primetime once they can, and I might suspect we’ll see both purple jerseys and white pants or purple jerseys and pewter pants in Dallas and at dwelling towards the Panthers.
Bucs WRs Chris Godwin and Mike Evans – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
I’m not a fan of the all-white uniforms with the pewter helmet, because the Bucs’ colours are purple and pewter. So my hope is that the all-white 1976 uniforms with the white Bucco Bruce helmets might be used towards the Browns and the Vikings to begin the season at dwelling as a substitute. Then the Bucs may put on the white jerseys with the pewter pants at dwelling towards the Vikings, Steelers and Falcons. The Bucs will get away their purple jerseys at dwelling towards the Panthers, Chargers, Saints and Rams.
If I needed to guess, I might say the creamsicle jerseys can be used for a rematch with the Falcons in Week 8, the Chargers in Week 13 or the Saints in Week 15. As for the pewter jerseys, if an away crew doesn’t put on white at dwelling, I may see the Bucs wind up carrying them for a preseason recreation – both dwelling or away – simply to have these jerseys see the sunshine of day once more. I might additionally prefer to see them put on the pewter jerseys perhaps with the white pants on the street in Week 1 at Cincinnati, who will seemingly be in all-white for his or her dwelling opener.
QUESTION: Which gamers, on both aspect of the ball, have essentially the most to show this season?
ANSWER: Nice query. There are a number of gamers on both sides of the ball which have essentially the most to show, so please enable me to supply up two offensive gamers and three defensive gamers. On offense, large receiver Chris Godwin Jr. has to return to type as a 1,000-yard receiver this yr – or near it – to justify his $22 million price ticket at age 30. If he doesn’t have an enormous bounce-back yr he may very well be in jeopardy of being a wage cap casualty in 2027, or a candidate to take a moderately sizeable pay minimize. We noticed the Bucs try this to cornerback Jamel Dean previous to the 2026 marketing campaign.
The opposite offensive participant that has quite a bit to show is correct guard Cody Mauch. He’s getting back from a season-ending knee damage final yr and he’s coming into a contract yr. Is Mauch all the best way again from his damage? Can he return to type as a potential Professional Bowl expertise? We’ll discover out in the course of the 2026 season.
Bucs CBs Benjamin Morrison and Zyon McCollum – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
On protection, two cornerbacks have quite a bit to show in veteran Zyon McCollum and second-year participant Benjamin Morrison. McCollum was given a profitable contract extension previous to his contract yr and was a disappointment. He has to show he’s well worth the cash and change into the lockdown cornerback this crew thinks he’s able to changing into. For Morrison, it’s overcoming the fixed hamstring accidents and proving that he’s a starting-caliber cornerback. Final yr’s second-round choose will face stiff competitors from Jacob Parrish for the fitting to switch Dean because the starter reverse McCollum.
And eventually, defensive sort out Calijah Kancey should show that he can keep wholesome. Kancey has missed 22 video games in his first three seasons in Tampa Bay, together with all however three video games final yr. The crew picked up his fifth-year choice for 2027, nevertheless it stays to be seen if he’ll proceed to put on purple and pewter past then. Kancey has to play the vast majority of video games this yr and show he isn’t fragile.
QUESTION: After rookie mini-camp, free agent acquisitions and upcoming OTAs, who’s your early prediction for shock starter on offense and protection?
ANSWER: I’m undecided if there might be any shock starters, particularly on the offensive aspect of the ball. The starters on principally set there, and we all know that newcomer Kenneth Gainwell will share carries and touches with Bucky Irving at working again. Bucs head coach Todd Bowles informed me on the NFL Annual Assembly that Irving might be 1A and Gainwell might be 1B, versus Nos. 1 and a pair of within the backfield.
Wouldn’t it be a shock if rookie large receiver Ted Hurst, the crew’s third-round choose, performs quite a bit and begins on the X receiver place? I don’t assume so. And I don’t assume it might be a shock to see rookie tight finish Bauer Sharp, the sixth-rounder, discover his manner on to the roster forward of both Devin Culp or Ko Kieft and see some taking part in time this yr.
Bucs TE Bauer Sharp – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR
Defensively, we all know that A’Shawn Robinson will begin on the 4i/5-technique defensive sort out spot and that Alex Anzalone will exchange Lavonte David on the Moneybacker spot on the weak aspect. No surprises there.
Would you be shocked if Keionte Scott begins at nickelback whereas Jacob Parrish replaces Jamel Dean because the beginning outdoors cornerback? Wouldn’t it be a shock if Parish beats out Benjamin Morrison? I don’t assume so.
And would it not be a shock if Josiah Trotter, Tampa Bay’s second-round choose, begins at center linebacker? Would you be shocked to see SirVocea Dennis or Christian Rozeboom begin the season off there if Trotter isn’t fairly prepared? I wouldn’t.
In case you are searching for an upset, perhaps it’s at quarterback if undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels performs effectively sufficient within the preseason to earn a roster spot at QB3, beating out Connor Bazelak. Or perhaps he performs effectively sufficient to actually problem Jake Browning for the backup function behind Baker Mayfield? I’m not saying that’s going to occur, however that’s actually the one factor I can consider that may classify as an actual shock proper now.
