Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

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As if Tuesday’s joint practice with the Jaguars wasn’t already bad enough for the Bucs, news hit Wednesday morning that their prized rookie pass rusher, first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr., suffered an injury.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Bain has an AC sprain, though the report also clarified that it’s said to be “nothing serious” and that he is expected to still be good to go for Week 1 against the Bengals on Sept. 13.

As far as training camp injury news goes, this is relatively tame. The Bucs only have one more practice this week – Wednesday’s joint practice in Jacksonville – before the preseason finale Friday night. That was a game Bain was already extremely unlikely to feature in, so he has ample time to rest up, get treatment and get ready to go for the regular season opener.

Given the “it’s nothing serious” part of Schefter’s report, it sounds like the sprain that Bain is dealing with could be as minor as they come. Even if it’s classified as a mild AC sprain, those can typically take 1-2 weeks to heal. There are still 18 days until that season-opening game between the Bucs and Bengals, so Tampa Bay should feel confident that it’ll have its top pick available by then.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Adam Slivon/PR

With all that said, this is still less than ideal, as you never want your premier edge rusher to pick up any kind of injury this close to the season. The hope will have to be that it fully heals quickly, as the last thing the team can afford to do is hurry him back for Week 1 just to have him reaggravate it and miss more games as a result. There’s no doubt that the training staff and coaches will be cautious with him, especially given what he already means to the defense’s much-improved pass rush.

Bain briefly appeared in last Saturday night’s preseason game against the Chiefs and was stellar in his NFL debut. Getting him back in the fold – at full health and strength – is crucial for Tampa Bay’s defense to reach its full potential in 2026.

Rueben Bain Jr. Joins Group Of Bucs Who Are Just Focused On Week 1

The Bucs already have an important group of players who are rehabbing injuries and getting into the full swing of things this week and into next with a clear focus on being ready for Week 1.

Tristan Wirfs, whose hamstring injury cost him most of training camp, just returned to limited 1-on-1 and 11-on-11 work Tuesday morning. Tampa Bay’s focus is simply on getting its All-Pro left tackle to Week 1 feeling good and back to 100%.

The same can be said for veteran nose tackle and two-time Pro Bowler Vita Vea, who missed most of camp with what was described as a back injury. Of course, he was also “holding in” while awaiting a contract extension, which he ultimately received. He also returned to limited 11-on-11 action Tuesday and will be brought along gradually with Week 1 as the ultimate target date.

Second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison is loosely a part of that group as well, as he’s continued to deal with a hamstring issue throughout this summer and has only just returned to full team work. He may or may not see time in the preseason finale, as it feels like the Bucs just want to have him ready for the regular season.

Bucs OLB Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Now, add Rueben Bain Jr. to that mix, too.

Again, there are 18 days until Week 1, which should give the rookie pass rusher enough time to recover from an AC sprain that was characterized as “nothing serious.”

But no one would blame you if the news of Bain’s injury made you wince, given the buzz and hope he has injected into the fan base ever since becoming the Bucs’ No. 15 overall pick in April.