HENDERSON, Nev. -- When the Las Vegas Raiders signed safety Jeremy Chinn in March, they saw a player who could be a versatile chess piece in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's scheme.
Since entering the league in 2020, the 27-year-old has played multiple spots on defense -- a trait he takes pride in. In 71 career games, including 67 starts, Chinn -- a former Carolina Panther and Washington Commander -- has played more than 1,000 snaps at safety and outside linebacker, 389 snaps at inside linebacker, and 908 in the slot.
"I think it started early on in my rookie season," Chinn said. "Just being in a situation where I was asked to do a lot of certain things and just kind of made my mindset like, this is the life of the NFL, like, there's going to be a lot of different roles, a lot of different roles, a lot of different responsibilities. So I just kind of took that and rode with it for the rest of my career."
Las Vegas' secondary took a hit when safety Tre'von Moehrig signed a three-year, $51 million contract with Carolina following a career year.
However, with Chinn in the mix, the Raiders hope he can fill the void left by Moehrig while also serving as a leader on defense.
"Just in terms of his leadership, he's very sure of himself because he puts in the work," Graham said. "And he's been a sponge in terms of learning how we want to do things, and then all the physical attributes, but all 32 teams know about that. The speed, the size, physicality, ability to tackle and nose for the ball. It's all been positive there."
Chinn -- a second-round pick -- signed a two-year deal worth over $16 million after four seasons in Carolina and one in Washington. During his lone season with the Commanders, Chinn started in 17 games and posted a career-best 117 tackles.
The former Southern Illinois safety was a safety/linebacker hybrid for Washington. He played strong safety but would move to a linebacker role in the Commanders' three-safety set. Playing closer to the line of scrimmage, Chinn was an effective run defender.
He was tied for seventh among safeties with 26 run stops, tackles that resulted in a successful play for the defense.
Last season, the Raiders had Moehrig near the line of scrimmage, where he thrived. Moehrig had 30 run stops and 13 quarterback pressures.
Chinn is excited to be a part of the Raiders' defense because the unit will allow him to continue being a Swiss Army knife on the field.
"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."
How Chinn holds up in coverage will be crucial. In addition to Moehrig being a quality pass rusher and run defender, he was also solid in the back end of the field. As a nearest defender, Moehrig was targeted 39 times, allowing 24 catches for 249 yards, four touchdowns and a passer rating of 92.8. He even had two interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
Chinn, on the other hand, was targeted 43 times, giving up 28 receptions for 354 yards, five touchdowns and a passer rating of 119.7.
Among the areas of concern for the defense is the nickel spot. The Raiders have cornerback Darnay Holmes, but he lacks starting experience (12 starts in 70 career games).
Las Vegas could add another cornerback between now and training camp. At the same time, the organization is confident in Chinn's ability to line up at nickel when needed.
"He's like a big nickel," general manager John Spytek said of the 6-foot-3, 220-pound safety. "You love his size on the edge, his ability to blitz [and] support the run. Then he's a guy that can still drop and play as part of the deep coverage, too."
Chinn, who recorded an interception and five pass breakups, showed a glimpse of what he could provide in pass coverage during the Raiders' organized team activity practices. During the first week of practice, Chinn picked off quarterback Geno Smith, who attempted a pass over the middle to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
On Wednesday, Chinn broke up Smith's pass that was intended for tight end Michael Mayer. He maintained tight coverage on Mayer before he extended his arms to make a play on the ball.
"He's got such an amazing skill set for a man of his size," Spytek said. "And you love the intelligence and the instincts that go with it."