TAMPA, Fla. — Rookie first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. drew praise during drills when he exploded from a four-point stance and drove a blocking sled several feet forward, prompting coach Larry Foote to clap and exclaim, “Good violence! Good violence!” Bain followed by turning the corner in a hoop drill with his body nearly parallel to the ground while staying on his feet, illustrating the explosiveness Foote had already seen on film.
Bain, a 6-foot-2, 262-pound edge rusher from Miami, totaled 20.5 sacks and 33.5 tackles for loss in college. Foote compared Bain’s traits to former Steelers pass rusher James Harrison — who was Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and whose 80.5 sacks rank third in Pittsburgh history — saying Bain has an ability that makes him difficult to block.
The emphasis on physicality is part of a deliberate defensive overhaul led by coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht. The team set out to get bigger and stronger, particularly in the front seven, while also seeking a tougher mentality. “We’ve stressed ‘high character’ — ‘football character’ — but that doesn’t mean that we don’t want some nasty a–holes when they get on the field,” Licht said, adding the club has tried to find the right blend of high-character teammates who bring an edge.
Veteran additions and returning players figure to supply that edge. The Bucs signed Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had 11 sacks last season for Detroit and can play multiple spots along the defensive front. Returning starter Yaya Diaby had seven sacks last season. Foote also cited rotational veteran Anthony Nelson and David Walker, who suffered a torn ACL early in camp last season but remains highly regarded by coaches.
The team also added 6-foot, 313-pound defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson in free agency. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Robinson’s 316 run stops since 2016 are third-most among defensive linemen. “He’s aggressive,” defensive tackle Calijah Kancey said. “He’s going to bully the guy in front of him.” New defensive line coach Marcus West called Robinson “an alpha within the line of scrimmage,” and Robinson said his toughness stems from a difficult childhood.
Inside linebacker Alex Anzalone was signed to bolster coverage. Since 2021, his 67.5% completion percentage allowed ranks second among linebackers with 1,000 or more coverage snaps, and his eight pass breakups last season were also second among all linebackers.
