Jeremy Chinn and the Washington Commanders were a match made in heaven. However, one analyst believes the NFC East outfit could face a fight to retain his services in free agency.
The Commanders took a chance on Chinn during Adam Peters' first offseason at the helm. He looked down and out after becoming an afterthought with the Carolina Panthers. Head coach Dan Quinn believed the former second-round selection had the athletic profile needed to become impactful within his system.
That was not an opinion shared by Carolina's defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. He had no use for Chinn within his 3-4 base scheme. The Southern Illinois product fell out of favor and frustrations built to breaking point. Choosing his next destination wisely was crucial for his long-term outlook.
Chinn turned down more money from the Pittsburgh Steelers to join the Commanders. Whether ex-Panthers teammate Frankie Luvu had any say in the matter is debatable. What followed was a tremendous bounce-back year that galvanized the player's career when all hope seemed lost.
Quinn knew exactly how to use Chinn's strengths. He gave him the freedom to be instinctive all over the field. His 117 tackles ranked second on the team and there were notable improvements in coverage. His 35 run stops ranked sixth among qualifying safeties according to Pro Football Focus.
Commanders safety Jeremy Chinn projected to have strong free-agent market
This puts Chinn in a strong position entering the offseason. He's out of contract and looking for a new deal. The Commanders would be wise to keep him around, although there's always some semblance of doubt until something gets confirmed.
Dan Pizzuta from The 33rd Team believes Chinn will have a robust market if the Commanders let things get that far. The NFL analyst thought his versatility and playmaking are traits other teams should covet. That puts pressure on Peters to get something worked out before things get more complicated.
Jeremy Chinn was the perfect safety to fit into Washington’s defensive back-heavy defense. Chinn played all over the field but also lined up as a deep safety on a career-high 43 percent of his defensive snaps. He also had a career-high seven tackles for loss. Chinn can fit in plenty of defenses and be deployed effectively in a number of ways.Dan Pizzuta
Peters knows what he's doing. He's a shrewd roster builder and has a plan in place to take the Commanders forward. Big changes are expected to the playing personnel once again, but keeping a sense of continuity should also be high on his list of priorities.
Chinn and Quan Martin looked capable of forming a long-term partnership on the backend. They are both entering their prime with skills that complement each other well. They are only going to benefit from another offseason in the same scheme under the same defensive coaches.
Loyalty goes a long way. So does money. This offseason represents the first chance Chinn's had to cash in. He'll be eager to take advantage and get the best deal for himself and his family.
The Commanders have enough spare financial resources to make this happen. After fighting back from the face of adversity to become an integral part of Washington's defense, it's the least he deserves.
