Panthers S Tre Boston on Jeremy Chinn: ‘He’s a freak of nature’

Speaking with the media on Thursday, safety Tre Boston called Chinn “a freak of nature.”

The 2020 Panthers defense is far better than most expected it to be. A lot of the credit has to go to defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who has gotten an  inexperienced and injury-ravaged unit to click despite no real offseason and no preseason games to prepare.

It’s a two-way street, though. This Carolina group was supposed to be the worst defense in the NFL this season and it wasn’t because of Snow. On paper, this unit looked more kitten than Panther compared to the competition. Young defenders like rookie Jeremy Chinn have helped defy those gloomy pre-season expectations, though. Heading into Week 7, Chinn has made quite the impression on the veterans around him.

Speaking with the media on Thursday, safety Tre Boston called Chinn “a freak of nature.”

We knew Chinn was a special athlete when he was drafted. Every year exceptional athletes come into the NFL and never work out, though.

Chinn’s freakish speed, size and explosiveness have contributed to Chinn’s playmaking ability. His game is far more polished than we expected at this point given Chinn’s age and the level of competition he faced in college.

On the field, range is arguably Chinn’s top asset. Chinn has racked up a team-high 49 combined tackles so far. He’s also been lining up all over the field, being utilized in the way we thought the team might with Isaiah Simmons had he been picked, instead.

Chinn is also developing in coverage after a shaky first month of the season. He made two strong plays on the ball in Sunday’s loss to the Bears, nabbing a tough PBU and his first career interception.

Chinn’s game still has a lot of room to grow, but Boston hit the nail on the head with the exact right word. It’s freaky how good Chinn is already.

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