Ranking the 10 best Carolina Panthers players from 2022 season

Jeremy Chinn – Carolina Panthers S

• 70 tackles
• 2 tackles for loss
• 6 passes defended
• 1 sack

Every defense has a glue guy. A player who holds things together.

Jeremy Chinn is that player for the Carolina Panthers.

His positional versatility is always valuable and is a big reason for Chinn being the key cog on defense. But down the stretch, the former second-round pick showed he can not only be a run-stopper but is also developing into a good coverage defender for good measure.

The defense struggled in the six games without Chinn this season. They allowed 28 points per game and 373.3 yards per game in that stretch, which further highlights the player’s long-term importance.

Those numbers are a stark contrast compared to the games that he started. In 11 games with Chinn in the lineup, the defense allowed 18.7 points per game and 358.4 yards per game.

His influence and overall impact on defense are why Chinn is ranked at No. 7 despite the lack of eye-popping statistics. The one-time Southern Illinois standout is already a key player for Carolina at 24 years old and he will continue to be a pivotal piece of the puzzle on defense for the foreseeable future.

Chinn is heading into the final year of his rookie deal in 2023. The Panthers would be wise to get this contractual situation sorted out before the price goes up.