Has Rookie Jeremy Chinn Already Locked Up a Starting Spot?

Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is excited about the future of his rookie safety Jeremy Chinn

The more familiar you become with Panthers' head coach Matt Rhule and defensive coordinator Phil Snow's defensive philosophy, you quickly realize how they preach versatility and not being locked into one spot on the field.

Positionless defense is something you will probably start seeing more and more of in the NFL to help teams add an extra wrinkle in their defense. 

Panthers second round selection Jeremy Chinn is continuing to play at a high level during training camp and on Tuesday, Rhule told reporters just how highly he thought of him.

"Chinn is going to play a lot for us whether it's at safety or the big nickel. He's talented, but he plays really, really hard, he plays really physical, and he's extremely coachable. As a young guy, you know there's going to be some bumps and bruises along the way, but he listens and he plays hard. He's a guy right now that if we went out and played a game today, he'd probably be starting for us. He can do a lot of different things and be really versatile."

As potent as the other offenses are within the NFC South, the Panthers are going to need their secondary to play at a high level in order to be competitive and maybe even pull out a couple of wins against divisional foes. With the lack of depth the Panthers have at both linebacker and in the secondary, it will be crucial that Chinn plays at a high level and ultimately become that Swiss Army Knife of the defense.

Photo courtesy of Panthers.com

Luckily for Carolina, Chinn has past experience of playing multiple positions and doing so at a high level, so this should not be unfamiliar territory for him.

"I went back and watched the one-on-ones from the Senior Bowl and you saw him playing press man against draft-able wideouts and that, to me, verified that this guy is a special talent and if we have a chance [to draft him] that'd be someone that really fits us," Rhule said. "Evan Cooper [cornerbacks coach] was in my ear the whole time saying 'hey coach this guy is a special guy' and obviously the personnel department liked him. For me, going back and watching that one drill and watching him take five, six, seven reps, that said to me that this guy could be someone who could really be a mismatch and can help us prevent mismatches because of his versatility and the way he can cover."

Although Chinn doesn't have a specific spot on the defense, he will see a vast majority of the defensive snaps and it seems apparent that he will carve out a significant role early on in the season.

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