4 biggest surprises of the Panthers’ season through Week 4
By Dean Jones
Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers OLB
Jeremy Chinn came into the NFL with an eye-catching set of skills, but the way he has made a transition to the next level in such a short space of time has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The second-round pick has already proven himself as an indispensable member of the Carolina Panthers’ defense after winning the starting job at outside linebacker Shaq Thompson at training camp. Chinn took this momentum into competitive action with some outstanding displays that could eventually see him become one of the NFL’s biggest stars on defense.
His athleticism and explosiveness enable Chinn to make his way to the point of attack quickly. He leads all rookies in tackles through Week 4 and the former Southern Illinois standout is only going to get better with more experience under his belt.
The Panthers made a bold move to take Chinn at No. 64 overall, something which cost them one of their eight 2020 NFL Draft picks. This was a sacrifice well worth making if his initial contribution is any indication and not many expected him to make this sort of impact right away.
It’s easy to forget that Chinn didn’t have any preseason games to fully acclimatize to the NFL, which makes his recent displays even more remarkable. The sky is the limit for him and this pick is one that could benefit the Panthers for the next decade.