Panthers News: D.J. Johnson, Bryce Young, Jeremy Chinn and Leonard Floyd
By Dean Jones
Jeremy Chinn's crucial Carolina Panthers campaign
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the 2023 campaign is a big one for Jeremy Chinn. The Carolina Panthers are expecting big things from their do-it-all defender, who could be used in multiple positions within Ejiro Evero's creative 3-4 base scheme in a contract year.
There's a chance the Panthers extend Chinn before competitive action begins. But with the likes of Brian Burns and Derrick Brown also looking to get paid megabucks soon, those in power might decide to wait and see how things unfold.
A recent article from Joe Person of The Athletic (subscription required) put Chinn at No. 1 among Panthers players under the most pressure to perform next season. In all honesty, it's hard to argue against the fact based on last season and his uncertain contractual future.
"Chinn finished second to Chase Young in the defensive rookie of the year voting in 2020. It looked like the Panthers had found a playmaker. Chinn likely would have notched a third consecutive 100-tackle season last year had he not missed six games with a hamstring injury. But he failed to create a turnover and was involved in few impact plays. Ejiro will move Chinn around, from safety to big nickel to linebacker. The Panthers hope putting Chinn closer to the line of scrimmage will pay off in more plays."
- Joe Person, The Athletic
The Southern Illinois product has the talent, there's no getting away from that. Hopefully, moving closer to the line of scrimmage and having a defensive coordinator that can maximize his athletic attributes could be enough for a much-improved campaign.