Bucs' Rueben Bain Jr. Can't Catch a Break — Or a Quarterback

Rick Stroud borrows his own Tampa Bay Times line to open the show: rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. now has a groin strain to go with his shoulder issue, and after two games he still hasn't recorded a stat that matters. Rick and Steve debate how much grace a struggling rookie deserves — pointing to Hall of Famers like Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, and John Lynch, who all had underwhelming first seasons — while also flagging that Josiah Trotter (shoulder) and Anthony Nelson both missed practice too, suddenly thinning out a group that looked deep on paper. They dig into the Bucs' league-worst pass rush (three sacks in two games), debate whether Todd Bowles will finally bench a struggling Alex Anzalone or Antoine Winfield Jr., and note a telling business signal: the Bucs are already selling discounted season tickets mid-season. A listener mailbag question on GM Jason Licht's job security prompts Rick to lay out the case for and against, with a looming three-game, 11-day stretch (Vikings, Packers, at Cowboys) framed as the real referendum on the season.

On a happier note, the Rays are settling in after their AL East-clinching celebration in New York, resting regulars and mapping out their ALDS pitching plan (Rasmussen, Martinez, and Peralta as the likely top three, with Shane McClanahan probably limited to relief work if he's back at all). Rick and Steve also preview tonight's Lightning-Panthers preseason rematch, with both sides looking to avoid a repeat of last year's line-brawl classic, and count down to next week's regular-season opener in New York.

Segments:

• Rueben Bain Jr.'s groin strain and shoulder issue, and the case for patience with struggling rookies
• Bucs' NFL-worst pass rush and whether lineup changes (Anzalone, Winfield Jr.) are coming
• Mailbag: Is GM Jason Licht's job safe if the season craters? Plus, discounted season tickets as a warning sign
• Rays resting regulars post-clinch, mapping ALDS rotation plans around Rasmussen, Martinez, and Peralta
• Lightning host the Panthers in preseason rematch; season opener a week away
• Sponsor: Breitling Boutique, International Plaza

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.