The Washington Commanders have some difficult decisions with their free agents this offseason. Not everyone will come back, but a respected NFL insider offered a promising outlook between the franchise and Jeremy Chinn.
Washington saw something in Chinn last offseason. The talented safety was looking for a fresh start after things fizzled out with the Carolina Panthers. He felt this scheme could bring him back to life. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Chinn was superb throughout the campaign. Head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. knew exactly how to maximize his athletic attributes. His unique blend of size, speed, and instinctiveness became a major asset for Washington's defense. It also put the former second-round pick in a much more profitable position this offseason.
The Southern Illinois product was looking for the right fit with not much care for money last spring. That won't be the case this time around, so the Commanders need to act with conviction before things get more complicated heading into the legal tampering window.
Insider believes Jeremy Chinn will 'likely' remain with Commanders in 2025
Dan Graziano from ESPN provided a promising update for Chinn potentially re-signing in Washington. The insider revealed that of all Washington's free agents up for renewal this offseason, the defensive back seems the most likely to pen a long-term commitment with the organization.
"[Jeremy] Chinn took a one-year, $4.1 million prove-it deal with Washington and has turned into one of the best players on that defense (117 tackles). Of the veterans the Commanders added to the roster on one-year deals last offseason, he feels among the most likely to stick around long-term."Dan Graziano
This should alleviate the fears of fans. Speculation was rising about Chinn having a robust market in free agency if the Commanders let things get that far. Graziano's report suggests general manager Adam Peters isn't going to sit on his hands in pursuit of an acceptable agreement that works for both parties.
Peters will implement substantial changes to the playing personnel once again before the 2025 season. The Commanders' fairytale run doesn't detract from the need to boost starting quality and fortify depth. The front-office leader is blessed with an abundance of salary-cap space and seven draft selections to accomplish these challenging feats.
At the same time, the Commanders need to maintain some continuity. Keeping Chinn and Quan Martin as their starting safety tandem comes with long-term benefits attached. They complemented each other well and demonstrated encouraging growth in performance and communication as the season went on. That's the sort of foundation to build around, not break up at the first opportunity.
Of course, the Commanders won't overpay to keep Chinn around. Spotrac projects the player to get around $6.08 million per season on a three-year, $18.26 million deal. That puts him 11th among all safeties, but it's a manageable sum if this is the ballpark.
Nothing has been confirmed one way or another, but the signs are pointing to Chinn continuing his career with the Commanders. He fully bought into the project and relished the chance to be part of a winning franchise. He's also young enough to get better and become a genuine leader within the locker room.
That seems like a win-win for everybody.
