Report: Seahawks Hiring Former NFL LB Josh Bynes as Defensive Assistant

Transitioning to the sidelines after a highly successful 12-year career in the NFL, Josh Bynes will now work for his former coach Mike Macdonald in an assistant role for the Seattle Seahawks.

Adding a former player to Mike Macdonald's first coaching staff, the Seattle Seahawks are expected to hire ex-Baltimore Ravens linebacker Josh Bynes as a defensive assistant for the 2024 season.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston, after announcing his retirement from playing in December, Bynes opted to join Macdonald's staff after interviewing for linebacker coach openings with the Ravens and Chargers. He will assist linebacker coach Kirk Olivadotti, who the Seahawks hired earlier this month after five seasons in the same role with the Packers.

After playing a dozen years in the NFL as a former undrafted free agent, Josh Bynes will transition to coaching working for Mike Macdonald, who coached him in Baltimore in two separate stints

Enjoying a lengthy career despite going undrafted out of Auburn, Bynes played 12 seasons in the NFL, including six seasons in three different stints with the Ravens. In his final year in the league, he started seven games for Macdonald's defense at middle linebacker, recording 29 tackles and a sack before losing his starting job to Roquan Smith, who came over in a midseason trade from the Bears.

Without any suitors signing him last season, Bynes re-signed with the Ravens on a one-day contract in December to retire with his original team.

Playing in 138 games with 82 starts for the Ravens, Lions, Cardinals, and Bengals, Bynes tallied 582 combined tackles, 39 tackles for loss, and five interceptions, seeing the field for nearly 5,000 defensive snaps and more than 1,500 special teams snaps. His best season came in Cincinnati back in 2020 when he posted a career-high 99 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, and a sack while starting 16 games.

The 34-year old Bynes will join the Seahawks without any prior coaching experience, but his extensive experience playing linebacker as a quarterback of the defense and knowledge of Macdonald's scheme should allow him to hit the ground running as he transitions to the sidelines. He will also benefit from working alongside Olivadotti, who has coached the position in the NFL for 13 years and built a sterling reputation for his teaching acumen.

Seahawks Analysis: Grading Macdonald's Coaching Staff Hires

Once Bynes' hire becomes official, Seattle should be set at the linebacker spot for the 2024 season. With Aden Durde signing on as defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier coming to town as assistant head coach, and Karl Scott returning as pass game coordinator, the team has filled most of the gaps, though Macdonald will likely try to add an assistant defensive line coach and assistant defensive backs coach before the staff becomes finalized.