Tag: Jeremy Chinn

Report: Panthers calling other teams about defensive backs

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, Carolina is calling other teams looking for secondary help.

The Panthers canceled today’s practice and players are planning to unveil a social justice initiative tonight, per ESPN.

Meanwhile, the front office continues to try to find solutions to their most pressing roster issues. According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, Carolina is calling other teams looking for secondary help.

There’s only two weeks to go before the season begins at home against the Raiders. Now seems like a bad time to be up against the wall and in need of more help at a critical position.

Of course, the Panthers had months to address their obvious hole at cornerback and they have yet to come through with a real answer. Signing Eli Apple was a good low-cost, potential high-reward kind of move, but they need at least one more of those before the season begins.

General manager Marty Hurney tried putting in a claim for Ryan Lewis, who was awarded to Washington. Several other free agent cornerbacks have signed since, though. Now, their options are relatively limited and any potential trade for a DB could be costly in terms of draft capital.

Speaking of trades, dealing for Jamal Adams would have given this team the game-changing kind of playmaker the secondary needs to begin rebuilding in earnest. John Schneider and the Seahawks beat the Panthers to the punch there, though.

The best name still on the board is Logan Ryan, who has been trying to sell himself as a safety to teams in need. As of yet, nobody has been willing to meet his price tag.

Truth is, they should have picked a cornerback earlier than they did in the draft.

At the moment, the Panthers only have around $12 million in cap space left for the 2020 season. That will also limit what manuevers Hurney can make.

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Troy Pride Jr. on potentially starting for Panthers: ‘I want to be out there’

Panthers rookie Troy Pride Jr. on potentially starting: ‘I want to be out there.’

The Panthers held a “Fanfest” practice last night at Bank of America Stadium. While there wasn’t the traditional crowd or scrimmage, we did learn some interesting things about this team.

For one thing, four rookies were wearing black jerseys, which means they are in line for starting positions on defense. That includes defensive tackle Derrick Brown, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, hybrid DB/LB Jeremy Chinn and cornerback Troy Pride Jr., who grew up rooting for the Panthers in South Carolina. When he was asked if starting is important to him by Joe Person at the Athletic, here’s what he had to say.

“Yeah. To be the ultimate competitor, I want to be out there. I feel that I’m the best suited, the best individual to be out there. So, yeah absolutely, to start, to play, to showcase my talents — but at the same time, it’s to get better. It’s to help my team, be the best for myself, be the best for my team.”

Pride also said he likes the idea of the black jerseys, as it gives players something to work toward.

As to where Pride will be playing, it could be one of two spots. Pride is in the mix for the competition to start outside opposite Donte Jackson along with Eli Apple, Corn Elder and TJ Green. He has also been getting reps at nickel. That versatility is something coach Matt Rhule has mentioned as one thing he likes about Pride.

Panthers fans should get used to the idea of not pigenholing players at specific positions, especially not on defense. Everyone from Kawann Short to Jeremy Chinn and Pride have been lining up at multiple spots at camp.

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Tre Boston on a young Panthers secondary: ‘I like that we’re fast’

It’s been five years since the Panthers had a strong defensive backfield.

It’s been five years since the Panthers had a strong defensive backfield. That group of veteran ballhawks were a key part of one of the best defenses of the last decade. Guys like Josh Norman and Peanut Tillman are long gone, though. Heading into the 2020 season, Tre Boston is the only defensive back on the team who was there to see it.

Boston says he wants to build this franchise back up. While this current crop of DBs doesn’t have the experience or the turnover-creating ability that 2015 squad had, one thing they have no shortage of is speed. After Monday’s first padded practice, Boston said he likes that this secondary is fast and young.

That speed was the main theme of this year’s draft. The team picked four DBs in their all-defense draft class. Jeremy Chinn, Troy Pride Jr., Kenny Robinson and Stantley Thomas-Oliver III are all quality athletes.

A lot will depend on how fast they can develop. Given no preseason games, Boston and the other veterans will need to coach them up quick.

So far, at least one of them has been standing out. Boston, Juston Burris and several other veterans on the team have raved about Chinn.

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Panthers 2020 training camp: 4 takeaways from the first padded practice

The Carolina Panthers just wrapped up their first padded practice of the year.

The Carolina Panthers just wrapped up their first padded practice of the year. Here are a few takeaways from today’s practice from the team and the media.

Rookie DB Jeremy Chinn was on the field first

If showing up is half the battle, then rookie defensive back Jeremy Chinn is definitely off to a good start. The second-rounder was the first player on the field this morning, seen here hitting the sled.

Chinn will be a critical piece for this young Carolina defense. He says the Panthers are lining him up at safety, nickel, dime and in the box. Juston Burris for one says he will be great wherever they put him.

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Panthers DB Juston Burris on Jeremy Chinn: ‘He’s going to be great’

On Sunday, Panthers defensive back Juston Burris said Chinn is going to be great for this defense wherever they line him up.

The Carolina Panthers are kicking off the 2020 season with what looks like a brand new team. In the defensive backfield, the team lost two starters by releasing safety Eric Reid and losing cornerback James Bradberry to free agency, leading to an NFL draft class stacked with defensive players.

One pick that was highly praised by many was Jeremy Chinn—  the No. 64 overall selection at the end of the second round. Carolina traded up for Chinn, drawing praise from former franchise great Muhsin Muhammad, who called it a “helluva pick.”

On Sunday, Panthers defensive back Juston Burris said Chinn is going to be great for this defense wherever they line him up.

Burris (six-foot, 212 pounds) was signed by Carolina this offseason on a two-year deal worth $8 million coming off his best year in Cleveland. Over nine games, Burris recorded 32 combined tackles, adding two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Even after signing Burris and bringing back Tre Boston, the team still lacked depth in the secondary. So, Carolina picked four defensive backs in the draft beginning with Chinn, the Southern Illinois product who calls himself a positionless defender, or “just a threat,” per the official team website.

Chinn says the Panthers have been rotating him between safety, nickel, dime and the box. However, his most natural position may be strong safety. That means to earn his playing time, first Chinn might have to prove himself compared to Burris.

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5 takeaways from Panthers coach Matt Rhule’s Friday press conference

Panthers coach Matt Rhule just wrapped up another Zoom press conference.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule just wrapped up another Zoom press conference. Here are a few takeaways from his remarks with the media.

No plans for voluntary bubble

First up, Rhule says he thought about having a voluntary bubble for players available during the season but ultimately decided against it.

Carolina is one of six NFL teams that have not yet had a positive test.

Praise for top three draft picks

After losing so many defensive veterans, Rhule will need to rely on his 2020 rookie class as much as any coach in the league. That means the team’s early-round picks will all have to pick things up quick. Rhule says first-round pick Derrick Brown and second-rounders Yetur Gross-Matos and Jeremy Chinn have stepped in and done a nice job.

As far as playing time goes, Brown is the only sure thing of the bunch right now. However, Gross-Matos and Chinn both should have a legitimate chance to earn a starting spot Week 1.

WR Omar Bayless is learning

The roster Rhule has been given is lean in a lot of places. One area he won’t have to worry as much is wide receiver, arguably the deepest position group on the team.

In addition to a strong 1-2-3 combination of D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel and Robby Anderson, there’s some potential further down the depth chart. Rhule says undrafted rookie Omar Bayless is learning the system and complimented his catch radius.

We are predicting Bayless will win the competition for the last wide receiver spot on the team. One reason is his size, which sets him apart from the rest.

A fan of RB Mike Davis

Rhule also went out of his way to praise veteran running back Mike Davis, who he called a pro. Apparently Davis is in the competition to be Christian McCaffrey’s primary backup.

Davis has the most experience at this position. However, the team can still save $3 million by cutting him. He will have to impress to avoid that.

Team will scrimmage ‘once or twice’

In an alternate reality, the Panthers would have opened the preseason last night against the Jaguars. With no exhibition games to get ready for the real thing, teams will have to adjust and create what competition they can.

Rhule says the team will probably scrimmage once or twice because he doesn’t want Week 1 to be their first time doing live tackling.

Speaking of Week 1, the Panthers will be hosting the Raiders. Carolina’s young defense will be put to the test against a team that ranked ninth in offensive DVOA last year.

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Panthers rookie calls Christian McCaffrey ‘unreal in person’

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Omar Bayless says watching McCaffrey work is “unreal in person.”

Christian McCaffrey has blossomed into a bonafide superstar in the NFL. His peers recently voted him the sixth-best player in the entire league. On a Panthers roster that’s undergone a serious youth movement this offseason, McCaffrey is also one of the veteran leaders on this team.

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Omar Bayless says watching McCaffrey work is “unreal in person.”

McCaffrey is obviously the biggest star for this franchise now that Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly are out of the picture.

Bayless is getting some recognition himself, though.

When he was speaking with reporters today via Zoom, second-round pick Jeremy Chinn said Bayless is one of the players who has stood out to him.

Bayless had a productive 2019 season at Arkansas State, finishing second in the nation with 1,653 receiving yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. We are predicting he will win the battle for the last wide receiver spot on the roster.

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Jeremy Chinn says Panthers playing him at several spots

Positionless defensive players are one of the hottest trends in the NFL.

Positionless defensive players are one of the hottest trends in the NFL. Outstanding athletes like Derwin James, Tyrann Mathieu and Budda Baker have set a high standard for a new generation of hybrid defensive backs and linebackers. This year, several more are coming in via the 2020 draft class. The Carolina Panthers passed on the best of them in the first round, opting to pick Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown over Clemson swiss army knife Isaiah Simmons. 

While it’s hard to justify using a top-10 pick on a nose tackle in any case, the team made up for that choice somewhat by trading up at the end of the second round to select Jeremy Chinn from Southern Illinois, another freakish athlete who can line up all over the defense.

Chinn told the media today via Zoom that defensive coordinator Phil Snow has him playing safety, nickel, dime and inside the box.

This should be music to the ears of Carolina fans who are concerned about a defense that has been ranked No. 32 in the league going into the 2020 season.

Truth is, even if Chinn could play all 11 positions odds are this unit is going to struggle this year given its lack of experience. That said, hearing that defenders like Chinn and fourth-round pick Troy Pride Jr. are being moved around is a sign that Snow is willing to tinker, which bodes well in the long run.

It will be a long journey though, no matter how smart Snow is. If Chinn can work his way into the starting lineup, the Panthers will be fielding the youngest defensive unit to play in the NFL in a decade.

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Panthers 2020 training camp: Ranking the 12 most important rookies on the roster

Panthers rookies: Ranking the 12 most important on the roster going into training camp.

The Carolina Panthers lost more experience than any NFL team this offseason by a wide margin. They’ll be returning just 46.9% of their snaps played from last season. This means Matt Rhule may have to rely on his team’s 2020 rookie class more than any other coach.

Let’s take a look at which players are most likely to make an impact in their first year in the league. Here are the 12 most important rookies on the team this year, beginning with four undrafted free agents who have the best chance to make the team.

12. RB Rodney Smith

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

While having no preseason games to prove himself certainly didn’t help, Smith has a couple of things working in his favor. First, the Panthers need to give Christian McCaffrey fewer touches this year in order to protect their $64 million investment, which means more playing time for every other running back. Second, Mike Davis is a good candidate to be cut in the next two weeks, as that would save the team $3 million in cap space. If Smith can impress at training camp, he should secure the fourth RB spot on the roster behind McCaffrey, Reggie Bonnafon and Jordan Scarlett.

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Jeremy Chinn on fit with Panthers: ‘I wouldn’t even give myself a position’

The most exciting pick the Panthers made in the 2020 NFL draft came at the end of the second round when they traded up for Jeremy Chinn.

The most exciting pick the Panthers made in the 2020 NFL draft came at the end of the second round when they traded up for Jeremy Chinn.

Chinn doesn’t come from a well-known college program, but his sensational athleticism will give him a great chance to be successful in the NFL. Another thing he has going for him is versatility. Chinn is typically listed as a safety. However, during his time at Southern Illinois he lined up at a lot of different positions. In fact, Chinn says he wouldn’t even give himself a position, per the official team website.

“I wouldn’t even give myself a position. . . I think I’m just a defensive weapon. I think I’m just a threat.”

While there he hasn’t had the chance to practice with the Panthers yet, during the virtual offseason program Chinn says they’ve shown him he’s going to be doing a lot.

“They’ve showed me that they want me doing a lot. . . Just from meetings with me going back and forth between different positions and learning so many positions, and learning what guys are doing all around me from the D-line, to the backend, to the corners, and everything.”

We will likely see a lot of Chinn in Eric Reid’s former box safety role. Expect to see him moved around the field a lot, though. It will be very interesting to see how defensive coordinator Phil Snow uses him.

Chinn and the rest of the 2020 rookie class will get quite a challenge out of the gate. If the NFL proceeds with plans to cancel half of the preseason schedule, they will face the Patriots first, followed by the Ravens.

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