After a quietly strong offseason signing, safety Jeremy Chinn is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most important players on the Las Vegas Raiders’ defense. The 27-year-old has impressed both on the field and in the film room, drawing high praise from coaches and insiders following minicamp.
Chinn signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Raiders in March and has since proven to be what team reporter Levi Edwards called “the ultimate chess piece” in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s system. “He plays with a physical style that’s complemented Isaiah Pola-Mao,” Edwards wrote. “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.”
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Known for his positional versatility, Chinn brings a rare mix of size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), speed, and football IQ. Over his five NFL seasons, he has played over 1,000 snaps at both safety and linebacker, with additional reps in the slot. In 2024 with the Washington Commanders, Chinn started all 17 games and posted a career-high 117 tackles, including 26 run stops—seventh-most among safeties.
But it’s his leadership that may be just as valuable to a young Raiders defense. “Just in terms of his leadership, he’s very sure of himself because he puts in the work,” Graham said. “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. And he’s been a sponge in terms of learning how we want to do things.”
Graham added that Chinn’s physical traits—speed, size, physicality, tackling, and instinct—are “things all 32 teams know about.”
General manager John Spytek echoed that sentiment, calling Chinn “a hybrid defender who can blitz, cover deep, or stop the run.” With uncertainty still surrounding the Raiders’ nickel corner spot, Chinn may be the player who fills multiple gaps.
“I feel like I can affect the game in a lot of ways,” Chinn said. “In this defense, it’s allowing me to do that.”
If early signs are any indication, Chinn’s mix of versatility, maturity, and physical talent could make him the linchpin of Las Vegas’ defensive resurgence in 2025.