Sometimes the best moves are the ones you almost made.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht recently opened up about the team's offseason strategy on The Pat McAfee Show, revealing that the Bucs were actively pursuing a proven pass rusher before ultimately landing their rookie standout.

For years, Tampa Bay has been searching for a consistent edge presence. They've thrown draft capital and free-agent dollars at the problem, but with little to show for it. This offseason, however, things may have finally clicked—though not exactly as planned.

Licht admitted the Bucs were "in on" Trey Hendrickson, the All-Pro pass rusher who eventually signed with the Baltimore Ravens. "Felt a little bit dejected at first," Licht said, "but now maybe it worked in our favor."

That "maybe" turned into a silver lining when the Bucs selected Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th overall pick in last month's NFL Draft. Bain, the top-rated edge prospect, saw his stock slip due to discussions around arm length—a detail the rest of the league apparently overthought. Tampa Bay was happy to capitalize.

"Not saying Rueben's better than Hendrickson," Licht clarified, "but I'm saying now we got our draft pick that we're all excited about. Everybody is excited about the shiny new toy."

Hendrickson is a proven commodity—a multi-time All-Pro who can anchor a defense. Bain has the potential to reach that level, but potential doesn't win games on paper. For Bucs fans, the faith is there, but the real test begins when the pads come on.

Whether this gamble pays off or becomes another chapter in Tampa Bay's edge-rusher saga, one thing is clear: the Bucs are swinging, and this time, they might have finally connected.