The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a scare on Tuesday when first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. left joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars with an AC sprain, though the team does not believe it is serious and expects him to be ready for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the injury after Tampa Bay’s first joint session with Jacksonville in Jacksonville. Bain, the Bucs’ edge rusher taken at No. 15, was on the field for most of the practice before Al-Quadin Muhammad took over for him during the final portion of team periods late in the day.
For now, Bain will not practice on Wednesday, and the Buccaneers are expected to hold him out for the rest of the offseason as he gets ready for the opener. Tampa Bay is also expecting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who is dealing with a toe strain, to be back in time for Week 1 as well.
Bain has already shown flashes this offseason, including a stretch against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 of preseason that made him PFF’s highest-rated rookie. Tuesday’s work against the Jaguars may end up being his final live action before the season begins.
With Bain sidelined, Muhammad is expected to work alongside Yaya Diaby during Day 2 of joint practice against Jacksonville on Wednesday. Muhammad, a free agent addition from the Detroit Lions at the start of free agency, now steps into a bigger role while Tampa Bay waits on its first-round pass rusher.
The Buccaneers open the season on the road against the Bengals on Sept. 13, and Bain remains a central piece of what Tampa Bay wants to do up front in 2026. The hope is simple: get him back healthy in time to start the year.
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