Rueben Bain Jr., Bucs Agree to 4-Year Contract After 2026 NFL Draft, Rookie's Salary Revealed

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. finalized the terms of his rookie contract on Thursday, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

The No. 15 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft signed a four-year deal with the Buccaneers. According to Stroud, the rookie slot value for Bain is approximately $22.8 million.

While reported concerns about Bain's relatively short arm length of 30 7/8 inches may have factored into his draft slide, he should still be able to carve out a role in the Buccaneers' defense as a rookie after wrapping up an impressive 2025 season at Miami.

In 16 games with the Hurricanes last year, Bain racked up 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble. He was a key piece of a Miami defense that allowed a mere 14.8 points per game, ranking No. 5 in the country.

During the Hurricanes' College Football Playoff run that ended in the national championship game, Bain amassed eight tackles for loss and five sacks in four CFP appearances.

He was listed as the No. 1 edge-rusher and the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2026 draft class on the final big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department.

As the Buccaneers look to improve upon their 8-9 finish last season, Bain's future in Tampa Bay is now officially secure.