The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open the 2026 season Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
Rueben Bain will make his regular-season debut after Tampa Bay selected him 15th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. The rookie enters Week One as a starter on Tampa Bay’s defense.
Bain was one of college football’s most disruptive pass rushers during his final season at Miami. He recorded 9.5 sacks in 2025 before making the jump to the NFL.
Predicted Stat Line for Rueben Bain Jr. vs Cincinnati Bengals
– Tackles: 3-5
– Sacks: 0.5-1.0
– Forced Fumbles: 0-1
– Quarterback Hits: 1-2
Key Factors Influencing
– Bain enters his first NFL game as a starting outside linebacker for Tampa Bay.
– Cincinnati presents an immediate opportunity for the rookie to showcase his pass-rushing ability.
– Joe Burrow’s ability to distribute the football quickly could make generating pressure especially important.
– Bain has already impressed during his first preseason action, showing the pass-rushing ability Tampa Bay valued.
Final Stat Predictions
– Tackles: 4
– Sacks: 1
– Forced Fumbles: 0
– Quarterback Hits: 2
Bain has an opportunity to make an immediate impact in his first regular-season game.
The Bengals will provide a significant opening test for Tampa Bay’s rookie edge rusher. Bain’s ability to generate pressure could be crucial against Burrow and Cincinnati’s offense.
Prediction: Four tackles, one sack, zero forced fumbles and two quarterback hits.
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