Days after trading for the ability to choose their quarterback of the future in the 2023 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers bolstered an important position on the other side of the ball—by agreeing to a deal with free agent safety Vonn Bell.
Bell, a seven-year veteran, is coming off an impressive season—one where he totaled 77 tackles, four interceptions, four quarterback hits and two forced fumbles for the Cincinnati Bengals. He also, according to Pro Football Focus, allowed a 65.1 passer rating against opposing quarterbacks—which is, by far, the best mark of his pro tenure.
Throughout his career, the 28-year-old has not only proved his worth as a consistent presence—having played in 109 of a possible 114 games—but as a force against the run and, now, a ball-hawking back. And because of that, we have an unlikely winner in this deal—fellow safety Jeremy Chinn.
Since the Panthers drafted him in 2020, Chinn has served as a versatile defensive weapon for the team—floating between linebacker and safety. There has, however, been a clear difference in his play at each position—as he thrived closer to the line of scrimmage and sometimes struggled when he was positioned deeper into the secondary.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound defender, in fact, had his most effective season the year he was allowed to play a bit more as a backer. That came in 2021—where he earned career-high PFF grades in overall defense (71.4), run defense (62.5), tackling (70.4) and coverage (74.3)
When he’s further away from the middle of the defense, Chinn tends to make less of an impact. But with Bell in the fold and Xavier Woods already established, Chinn should have even more opportunities to be a disruptor from the box.
Oh, and he seems to like the sound of that . . .
👀🔥🔥
— Jeremy Chinn (@ChinnJeremy2) March 13, 2023
