The Las Vegas Raiders have a promising future with the additions of Treydan Stukes and Jermod McCoy in the draft. That’s not to mention Darien Porter, who was drafted last year.
However, the group is young, so they’ll need a couple of veterans to step up. Jeremy Chinn is an obvious candidate to take on a leadership role. He started 15 games for the Raiders last season and has been in the NFL for six years.
Chinn can play safety or nickel cornerbacks, and can also step into a linebacker role if necessary. There’s been recent speculation that the Raiders could trade him, as he is on an expiring contract. That might not be the best idea.
According to NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice, Chinn is the most “underappreciated” player on the Raiders.
“A second-round pick out of FCS Southern Illinois, Chinn burst onto the NFL scene as a safety/linebacker hybrid for the Panthers, finishing as the runner-up to Chase Young for 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year and racking up 100-plus tackles in each of his first two seasons,” Filice wrote. “Then injuries and coaching/scheme changes in Carolina caused his production — and reputation — to wane. But after revitalizing his career on a one-year prove-it deal with Washington in 2024, Chinn signed a two-year pact with the Raiders and stuffed the stat sheet once again this past season. Now, the question is where he fits into the plan for Rob Leonard, who was promoted to defensive coordinator by new head coach Klint Kubiak. Las Vegas added a bunch of back-seven talent in free agency and the draft, so it’ll be interesting to see how everything shakes out, but Chinn still offers plenty as an enforcer in the box.”
Should Raiders Trade Chinn?
Chinn is a solid player, and his versatility makes him valuable. At the same time, he likely isn’t part of the Raiders’ future plans.
Unless he has a career year, the team probably won’t be giving him a new contract. That means a trade could be possible, but only if the Raiders get some real value.
Anything lower than a fourth-round pick wouldn’t be worth it. The Raiders don’t have enough pieces on defense to give up solid veterans like Chinn. Even if he’s not in the future plans, he should be on the roster for the 2026 season.
Where is Stukes Going to Play?
The Raiders’ secondary is going to be a very interesting position group to watch. Chinn and the rookie Stukes are versatile players.
Right now, Stukes has been playing in the slot while the Raiders figure out what to do with Taron Johnson’s contract. If that doesn’t get resolved, he could be the slot cornerback for the season. That would leave Chinn at safety.
If Johnon comes back, Stukes likely shifts over to safety, but it’s not clear if he’d push Chinn or Isaiah Pola-Mao down the depth chart. Chinn has been a more consistent player than Pola-Mao, so he’d likely get the nod. He could also play linebacker in a lot of packages, as the Raiders lack experience at the position right now.
Raiders Veteran Hit With Eye-Opening Label Amid Trade Talk