Rueben Bain Jr. is scheduled to make his rookie debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. The first-round pick led the nation with 83 pressures in 2025, and Tampa Bay left tackle Tristan Wirfs has praised the traits that could make Bain an immediate defensive impact player.
Bain has received significant attention during the offseason after showing disruptive ability along the line of scrimmage. His first NFL game will come against a Cincinnati defensive line that added Dexter Lawrence II and Jonathan Allen during the offseason.
Tristan Wirfs praises Rueben Bain Jr.
Wirfs highlighted Bain’s bend, motor and determination while discussing the rookie’s preparation for his first game. The Tampa Bay left tackle also pointed to the expectations that come with being a first-round pick.
“He is a freak,” noted Wirfs. “His bend, his motor, his determination and everything. I do not know if I want to put expectations [on him]. I think being a first-round pick, you already have such high expectations for yourself and coaches have high expectations for you, but I think what you put on yourself is second to none and I think he is going to go out there and give it his all…Going to be a tough day if you are blocking ‘3.’ I am really excited for him and excited to watch him in action.”
Cincinnati Bengals add challenge for Tampa Bay offensive line
The Cincinnati Bengals’ offseason additions created a difficult assignment for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line. Lawrence has recorded 103 total pressures since 2022, the most among defensive tackles during that span, according to the source.
Tampa Bay Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson described Lawrence as a major challenge because of his disruption as both a pass rusher and run defender. The Buccaneers will need to account for Lawrence while using different looks against the Cincinnati defensive front.
“Yeah, you’ve got to account for him at all times,” described Zac Robinson. “He’s very disruptive for how big he is – the athleticism and the pop that he has – snap in and snap out from a pass-rush standpoint, from a run-game standpoint. He’s got everything. He’s got every tool. So, you know, it’s a great challenge for our guys. Obviously, you know, it’s up to us to keep mixing up different looks and whatnot. But yeah, he’s a handful up front. I know our guys are excited for the challenge.”
Ted Hurst III receives expanded opportunity
Ted Hurst III received increased reps during the offseason because of injuries to Jalen McMillan and Emeka Egbuka. The added work helped Hurst develop greater chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield during the offseason and training camp.
Hurst recorded 71 receptions for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns for Georgia State in 2025. During his college career, 70.9 percent of his catches resulted in a first down or touchdown.
Robinson said Hurst has handled the mental demands of the offense well and continued to improve. He also emphasized the value of Hurst’s work with Mayfield as the rookie prepares for his opportunity against Cincinnati.
“He’s shown that, from his college days to now, I mean, he just goes out and plays, and nothing is too big no matter who he’s matched up with, whether it’s against our defense or some of the guys in the Jets game [when] he was playing against some of their starters and Brandon Stephens,” said Robinson. “Some of those guys have been good corners for a long time. So, you know, it’ll be interesting to see just how everything plays out with him. He’s done an outstanding job from a mental standpoint. That’s always the unknown is just, all right, how much can these guys absorb in a short amount of time? It’s a lot of verbiage. It’s a lot of new stuff. He’s done a great job really from that rookie minicamp. We were impressed with just how much he was able to pick up in a short amount of time. Then you look at where he started from training camp…Sometimes guys can lose sight of some things when they have that summer break. It took a little bit to get going once we got back from training camp. Then, really from Week 2 and on, he’s just continued to ascend. He’s doing a great job. It’s great that Baker [Mayfield] got a bunch of reps with him to feel the movement and the different type of throws that you can activate with him out there. I’m excited for Ted, excited for all those guys, but he’s done an outstanding job all training camp up to now.”
Sunday matchup details
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The supplied schedule information does not include a calendar date or kickoff time.
FSB Take
Bain’s rookie debut gives the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a first-round player to watch against the Cincinnati Bengals. The matchup will also test Tampa Bay’s offensive line against Lawrence, while Hurst’s expanded preparation provides another storyline for the Buccaneers’ offense.
The early focus will be on how Bain handles his first NFL assignment, how Tampa Bay accounts for Lawrence and whether Hurst’s chemistry with Mayfield translates to the game.
Source: Original report