Raiders Insider Says Free Agent Signing Was A Secret Standout at Minicamp

Las Vegas Raiders’ camp has been over for about a week now. The Raiders finished up mandatory minicamp on Thursday June 12, 2025. 

So, Raiders insiders have had some time to reflect on what they saw during camp, and what may have gotten lost in the shuffle of the bigger headlines. 

Levi Edwards, who writes for Raiders.com, released an article on Wednesday June 18, 2025 where he answered some of Las Vegas fans’ biggest lingering questions about minicamp. 

One question that Edwards received was “Who quietly had an amazing camp?” 

Edwards gave two answers, one on offense and one on defense. 

Edwards’ answer on defense is likely to intrigue many Raiders fans, as it was new Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn, who was signed to a 2-year, $16 million contract by the Raiders this past offseason. 

“Jeremy Chinn has seemingly been the ultimate chess piece for the Raiders secondary,” Edwards wrote. “He plays with a physical style that’s complemented Isaiah Pola-Mao. Chinn’s ability to force pass breakups with his recovery speed and long arms was a sight to see, as he made plays on some of the team’s top offensive weapons consistently.” 

Chinn is Still a Young Star in his Prime 

Jeremy Chinn wasn’t the most heralded prospect coming out of college. He had a very good collegiate career, but at a very small school in Southern Illinois. 

But he worked his way up the draft boards of NFL teams during the pre-draft process in 2020. 

The Carolina Panthers ended up trading up into the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft to select Chinn 64th overall. 

He rewarded the Panthers by stepping in and immediately becoming an impact defender for Carolina. He actually finished second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Chase Young. Interestingly, he also had two fumble recoveries for a touchdown that season. 

Injuries and uncertainty hampered his next few years in Carolina, but Chinn experienced a resurgence in 2024 with the Washington Commanders. 

He played in and started all 17 games for the Commanders, recording a career-high 117 tackles. He even got into the backfield for the Commanders a few times, recording a career-high two sacks. 

But the highlight of Chinn’s season came in the 2024 Divisional round against the Detroit Lions, when he had a game-sealing interception on Lions quarterback Jared Goff to send the Commanders to the NFC championship game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. 

Can Chinn be a Leader for the Raiders? 

As previously mentioned, Chinn is still plenty young at only 27 years old. But this season, he joins a Raiders secondary with players much younger than him. By comparison, as a six-year NFL veteran who is on his third team in the league, Chinn has a wealth of experience to offer. 

Fortunately for Raiders fans, another reason that Edwards liked Chinn at training camp was for the leadership he displayed. Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham also praised Chinn’s leadership during camp. 

“Just in terms of his leadership, he’s very sure of himself because he puts in the work,” Patrick Graham said of Chinn. “Self-confidence comes from preparation; it’s not a self-esteem thing or self-talk thing. When you’re prepared, you’re really, really confident. That’s what I see from him.”

It sounds like Chinn is setting a great example for the Raiders young stars on defense. 

Raiders fans hope that Chinn can make his first Pro Bowl this season in a Silver and Black uniform, and also help elevate the Raiders’ defensive unit to one of the best in the NFL.