The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew they were drafting an explosive pass rusher when they selected Rueben Bain Jr. in the first round, but his first training camp practice showed he can bring much more than just sacks to Todd Bowles’ defense. Bain put together an impressive opening day of camp, recording what would have been a sack during team drills while also making a tackle on tight end Cade Otton after dropping into coverage.
It was the kind of well-rounded performance that highlighted exactly why Tampa Bay was so high on the former Miami standout.
The would-be sack came as little surprise. Bain built his reputation in college by consistently collapsing the pocket with a powerful first step and relentless motor, and those traits were on display immediately against NFL competition. Even in a practice setting where quarterbacks aren’t taken to the ground, Bain found a way to disrupt the play and force what would have been a big-time sack.
Todd Bowles has never been afraid to ask his edge rushers to do more than simply attack the quarterback. His defensive scheme frequently calls for outside linebackers to drop into underneath zones, disguise blitzes, and cover tight ends or running backs to create confusion for opposing offenses. Bain looked comfortable doing exactly that, closing quickly on Cade Otton for a tackle after reading the play.
While getting after the quarterback remains his primary responsibility, showing he can execute every assignment within Bowles’ defense makes him a more complete player and gives the coaching staff greater flexibility when designing pressure packages.
There is still plenty of work to be done before the regular season, but it didn’t take long for the Buccaneers’ first-round pick to remind everyone why he was considered one of the most complete defensive prospects in this year’s draft. If his first practice is any indication, Bain has all the tools to become an immediate contributor in Tampa Bay’s defense.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Rueben Bain Jr. has looked the part for the Bucs early on
Reporting by Ashlie Abrahams, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ashlie Abrahams, Buccaneers Wire | USA TODAY Network
