The Bucs spent your complete offseason looking for an identification.
Pillars of the group’s identification left the constructing, with extensive receiver Mike Evans leaving and inside linebacker Lavonte David retiring. Pair that with head coach Todd Bowles sticking round for an additional season, and the fanbase was principally pessimistic — till the 2026 NFL Draft occurred.
The number of exterior linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. has offered the group with the “nasty edge” it was searching for on protection. As a complete, the draft class introduced in thrilling gamers who will look so as to add power, manufacturing, and depth the place wanted most.
Bucs edge Rueben Bain Jr., GM Jason Licht and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch P/R
Becoming a member of us on the Pewter Report Podcast to debate this lately was former Pewter Report alum and NFL Inventory Trade Host Trevor Sikkema! Sikkema joined Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds and Matt Matera for just below an hour this previous week, offering his evaluation of Tampa Bay deciding on Bain and his ideas about every draft choose.
When it got here to Bain, it’s clear that he has fully modified the vibe surrounding the group.
In Sikkema’s thoughts, he’ll alter and enhance the Bucs’ defensive entrance by leaps and bounds in 2026. The dialog centered on what Bain represents for the Bucs’ defensive future as a possible tone-setter who can restore that edge identification Tampa Bay has been looking for because the days of Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq Barrett wreaking havoc.
Bain’s sport at Miami turned heads as he performs with leverage, violence on the level of assault, and a motor that doesn’t cease between snaps. That form of presence is strictly what the Bucs have cycled by go rushers looking for in recent times.
One of the best defensive stretches within the Bowles period have come when the sting group performs with a visual edge by successful early downs, wrecking safety schemes, and making quarterbacks uncomfortable. Bain suits that mould in a manner that feels extra instinctive than schematic, and his addition will make your complete group higher consequently.
Hear what Sikkema needed to say about this to Reynolds and Matera on this temporary video.
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Watch Trevor Sikkema Talk about Rueben Bain Jr. On The Pewter Report Podcast
Click on the hyperlink under to observe and listen to what Trevor Sikkema needed to say concerning the Bucs drafting Rueben Bain Jr.
If you wish to hear Sikkema’s full ideas about Bain and the remainder of Tampa Bay’s 2026 draft class from final week (in fact you do), click on the hyperlink under to observe your complete podcast.
