The Baltimore Ravens got contributions from many unsung heroes over the course of the 2021 season. With how many injuries the team had throughout the year, they had to sign players to come in and contribute at a high level.
One of those players was inside linebacker Josh Bynes, who was signed to Baltimore’s practice squad right before the season began and was promoted to the active roster soon after. He didn’t get much playing time at first, but was inserted as a starter into a struggling defensive unit in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
He brought a veteran presence and a calm demeanor to the field in his third-stint with the franchise, but played with passion and fire on his way to a great season that saw him total 76 tackles and two sacks in 14 games. He was one of Baltimore’s better tacklers, and was a force against the run as well as having some nice flashes in pass coverage.
Another added bonus to Bynes playing on the Ravens’ defense is how he helped second-year linebacker Patrick Queen. The young linebacker struggled over the first half of the season, but once Bynes was inserted into the starting lineup, Queen played much better, and he even thanked the veteran for helping him throughout the year.
Looking ahead to free agency, Baltimore doesn’t have a huge need at inside linebacker, but they will need to re-sign or add multiple players at the position. Queen and Malik Harrison are under contract, but Bynes, Chris Board and Kristian Welch are all slated to hit the open market. With how well Bynes played in 2021, it’d make absolute sense for the Ravens to re-sign the 32-year-old linebacker, especially since any contract agreed to by the two sides wouldn’t break the bank.