Josh Bynes Signs Contract With Carolina Panthers

Josh Bynes, Carolina Panthers, Agree to Contract

After spending the 2020 season with the Bengals, Josh Bynes is rewarded with a new contract. The linebacker spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals before landing in Cincinnati. Interestingly, he departed Baltimore in 2014 only to return in 2019. He wore three different numbers during his time in Baltimore. Bynes was a member of the Super Bowl XLVIII-champion Ravens. He recorded the final tackle of the game, taking town Ted Ginn Jr. on a free kick return.

Playing his college football at Auburn University, Bynes started as a middle linebacker for three consecutive seasons. He earned All-SEC Second Team honors following his senior season. Bynes was a member of the Auburn team who won the BCS Championship over Oregon in 2011. At the NFL Draft Combine, Bynes ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash.

Bynes came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2011. His first contract was a three-year, $1.41 million agreement with the Ravens. While he was a part of Baltimore’s final cuts that season, he returned and played 19% of the team’s defensive and 37% of special teams snaps. Flash forward to 2020, where Bynes became a starter in Cincinnati. He played 72% of the team’s defensive snaps. Bynes finished the 2020 season with 99 tackles, starting all 16 games along the way.

Injuries play a role in Bynes’ history in the NFL. During his rookie season training camp, he suffered a cracked vertebra. He missed time in his third season with a thigh injury and finger infection. Then, he suffered an ankle sprain during his 2017 season with the Arizona Cardinals. Then, he landed on injured reserve in 2018 with Arizona following a Week 11 thumb injury. However, Bynes hasn’t missed a game in either of the past two seasons, spending time between Baltimore and Cincinnati.