Casting aside Jeremy Chinn because he wasn't deemed a good scheme fit for Ejiro Evero's defense was a grave error in judgment by the Carolina Panthers. His success in a different environment this season was proof positive of that.
Chinn and Evero never saw eye-to-eye. The defensive coordinator didn't trust him enough within his 3-4 base system. He became an afterthought, with undrafted free agents and players who couldn't lace his cleats getting game time when injuries struck. It was clear from a long way out that the former second-round selection's future lay on another team.
The Panthers had no use for Chinn and he couldn't wait to get away. That wasn't an opinion shared by the Washington Commanders, who believed that the Southern Illinois product could be a significant asset within Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.'s schematic concepts.
This project enthused Chinn. He turned down more money from the Pittsburgh Steelers to join Quinn. It quickly became a mutually beneficial arrangement that must have left the Panthers with deep regret.
Jeremy Chinn set to cash in one year after Carolina Panthers departure
Chinn was allowed to be explosive and instinctive. He was a dominant force against the run en route to 117 tackles. There were improvements in coverage and the player's confidence soared. The Commanders won 12 regular-season games and reached the NFC Championship game during a campaign to remember.
They eventually fell short against the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, but Chinn galvanized his career and restored his reputation. He's also set to earn a large pay increase in Washington or elsewhere this spring.
According to Spotrac, Chinn is projected to get an annual salary of $6.08 million on a three-year, $18.26 million deal. This would place him 11th among all safeties and is the biggest payday of his professional career by a considerable margin.
It's also a big slap in the face to Carolina and, in particular, Evero. And the situation with Chinn is a microcosm of how things have unfolded under the defensive coordinator so far.
Evero fits square pegs in round holes, especially on the defensive line. If a player doesn't fit his scheme, there isn't much wiggle room. There's a reluctance to find solutions to problems and put their respective skill sets to better use. Chinn is the best example, but there are others too.
Now, the Panthers have to rethink things within their safety corps.
Xavier Woods, Nick Scott, Jordan Fuller, and Sam Franklin Jr. are all out of contract and might not return. Only undrafted free agent Demani Richardson is guaranteed to be on the squad, although that will change once general manager Dan Morgan gets to work on reinforcing the backend of his defense.
Had Evero been a little more flexible with Chinn, this wouldn't be as big of an issue. This must be a harsh lesson for the coordinator to find use for every player rather than sending them to the shadows.
That's not Chinn's problem. He's the latest in a long line of former Panthers players who've thrived since leaving the organization. Carolina must alter this narrative to stand any chance of joining the contenders moving forward.