The Arizona Cardinals are making moves again, trimming the roster just a few days before free agency begins.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, veteran linebacker Josh Bynes was released after two years with the team and one year after he was given a three-year contract extension.
Bynes signed a three-year, $5.75 million extension that could have been worth up to nearly $10 million.
He was one of the team’s best defensive players last season before he landed on injured reserve with a thumb injury in November.
He started all 11 games he appeared in and, according to team stats based on coaches film review, he had 78 tackles, six for a loss, two sacks, six broken up passes and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown.
He was the team’s second-highest rated defender on the team, according to Pro Football Focus.
By releasing Bynes, the Cardinals free up nearly $1.9 million in salary cap space with nearly $700,000 in dead money charged to the cap.
His release signals the Cardinals will be either re-signing soon-to-be free agent Deone Bucannon to start alongside Haason Reddick or they will be adding a player in free agency.
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