4 Panthers that can earn new deals over final 5 games in 2022
By Dean Jones
Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers S
One of the primary factors behind the Carolina Panthers’ recent resurgence on defense is the return of Jeremy Chinn. The explosive safety was sorely missed after a spell out through injury, but he’s been keen to make up for lost time and help this unit become dominant once again.
Chinn’s been an absolute revelation since the Panthers traded up to secure his services at No. 64 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. While there remains some debate about where the player is best suited, his presence on the backend alongside Xavier Woods is extremely productive and a solid base for the defense to build moving forward.
The former Southern Illinois sensation is heading into the final year of his rookie deal in 2023. Carolina has to pay stud defensive end Brian Burns next spring – which could be a record-breaker for players at the position – but Chinn might also get a lucrative extension ahead of time if performances are good enough in the coming weeks.
Letting Chinn walk is not even in the discussion. What is less certain centers around whether the Panthers have enough financial resources to pay him this offseason or wait until 2024.
Should Chinn leave no doubt as to his growing importance to this team’s long-term future over their last five contests, then it might force Carolina’s hand into a new deal before it gets even more expensive down the road.