Every NFL team’s breakout star for this season

Breakout NFL candidates for 2023: Carolina Panthers – Jeremy Chinn

Jeremy Chinn has been around for a while, playing three seasons after he was taken in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s been a fine player, but he hasn’t had those big stats. He’s been a jack of all trades in the Panthers’ secondary. The problem with being a jack of all trades in the NFL is this league celebrates the masters, which Chinn hasn’t been at any particular stat. He only has two career interceptions and three career sacks.

This season, we expect a major jump in production from Chinn. For one, he should be able to stick at free safety for the majority of the season. A new coaching staff is in the building, with Frank Reich and company looking to build around the young stars. Chinn might be one of the most important pieces on defense outside of Brian Burns.

The new-age NFL is built on pass rush and secondary. Usually, it’s the cornerbacks that control the backend, but Chinn shows that safeties still absolutely matter. Besides his versatility, he can shut down opponents with his agility. He changed his workout routine in the offseason to increase that agility.

On top of all this, the Panthers are switching from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4. That’s really why Chinn is going to shine. With the new format, he’s going to have more responsibility, which means more opportunities for big plays.