Amidst training camp contract drama, prized edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. emerges as the premier candidate to dominate the league and silence critics following his draft-day slide.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the home stretch of the offseason.
Training camp has been filled with negative energy due to the drama with both quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive tackle Vita Vea, who were both hoping to receive lucrative new contracts. Mayfield ripped the team Thursday, saying he felt disrespected and undervalued by the team during negotiations, comments the organization was not very happy with.
Vea, meanwhile, has requested a trade. While the Bucs decide how to proceed with him, Vea "tweaked" something and is not practicing with the team.
However, despite all the distractions, there are positive things going on at Bucs' camp.
Topping the list is that camp gives everyone another opportunity to see prized rookie Rueben Bain Jr. in action. Bain is the most-heralded rookie the Bucs have had in years, and he has been the belle of the ball all offseason, earning praise for both his play and his football IQ.
Bain is one of the favorites to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2026.
According to Dan Parr of NFL.com, he is the favorite.
Parr ranked his top 11 candidates to bring home the award this season, and Tampa's new star edge rusher topped the list.
Close Race For The DROY Award
Parr admits that it was a tough call to place Bain atop his rankings over David Bailey of the New York Jets. He gives Bain the nod due to the enormous chip he will have on his shoulder this year.
Bailey was picked second overall by the Jets, but Bain, despite being maybe the best defensive player in the draft, didn't hear his name called until pick 15 due to concerns over his arm length.
Parr believes Bain will be on a mission this season to prove his critics wrong.
"I admit vibes were the determining factor in choosing between Bailey and Bain for the top spot. The chip on Bain's shoulder must be heavy after he dealt with constant scrutiny of his arm length all draft season, despite coming off a dominant campaign that helped Miami reach the national title game. Then he waited in the green room until Pick No. 15 to hear his name called on draft night after being regularly mocked in the top 10. The Bucs were delighted to land him, of course, but I feel like the teams drafting ahead of Tampa Bay just poked a junkyard dog. Maybe the arm-length questions will be proven prescient and Bain won't be able to wreak havoc like he did in college with bigger and better athletes lining up across from him each week. Or maybe there's a fire lit in him that no arm-length disadvantage is going to be able to extinguish. I'm too consumed by the latter scenario to project a different outcome."
If Bain continues to impress in camp as he has throughout Tampa's offseason program, the expectations for his rookie year will be off the charts. He is already expected to be an immediate double-digit sack artist, which would be quite a feat for any rookie.
Final Thoughts
If Parr is right about Bain playing with a chip on his shoulder, every team that passed on him during the draft will likely regret it for years. The combination of Bain's talent with any extra motivation added is a scary thought for the rest of the league.
The battle between Bain and Bailey for DROY should be a great one all season. Bailey is also a polished pass-rusher, like Bain, and is also being counted on to make a big impact as a rookie.
However, Bain may have the edge for the award due to Tampa likely being in the mix for a playoff spot all year, while the Jets are expected to struggle again as head coach Aaron Glenn builds a competitive roster from scratch.
Bain winning the award will surprise exactly nobody. In fact, it may be considered a disappointment if he doesn't. The Bucs got a steal when Bain fell into the team's lap on draft night, and should reap the benefits for years.
Training camp is ongoing, and the pads will be coming on soon, giving Bain another opportunity to impress.
With all of the negative vibes around the Bucs right now, the star rookie could be a silver lining and add hope to a very pivotal season for Tampa's future.
If Bain does win DROY, it will likely mean he helped lead the Bucs back to the playoffs.
The anticipation for Bain's rookie season is at a fever pitch. Hopefully it ends with him bringing home some extra hardware.
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