4 Panthers players the Vikings should target after Matt Rhule’s firing
By Dean Jones
Jeremy Chinn – S
With rookie safety Lewis Cine out for the season with a serious ankle injury suffered in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints in London, it leaves the Minnesota Vikings relatively short of reliable depth opposite Harrison Smith on the backend. In an NFC North division that could be decided by fine margins, it’s something those in power might look to rectify before the 2022 trade deadline.
Should the Carolina Panthers decide to start from scratch and stockpile as many draft selections as possible for their new head coach, there are very few players who’d be off the table. Jeremy Chinn might fall into this category, but it wouldn’t hurt the Vikings to pick up the phone and inquire nonetheless.
Chinn is no stranger to Vikings fans after scoring two defensive touchdowns in consecutive plays at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2020. A game Minnesota somehow managed to win against former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
The Southern Illinois product is lightning fast, boasts supreme instincts, and has a rare ability to make things happen in all phases. There is some work to do from a coverage standpoint, but Chinn’s athleticism and versatility are traits that would be highly valuable to Minnesota’s playoff push.
Smith isn’t getting any younger, either. So the Vikings would also be getting a long-term solution that will rapidly become a problem when the perennial Pro Bowler finally calls it a day.