Free agent signing gives Las Vegas another tall, rangy, versatile safety to pair with Isaiah Pola-Mao
A literal Chinn check — in more ways than one.
That aptly sums up the Las Vegas Raiders’ Day 1 foray in free agency, particularly at the safety position.
Tre’Von Moehrig inking a rich deal with the Carolina Panthers was one of many departure dominos to fall on Monday, providing a jarring punch to the the Raiders’ jaw on the opening day of the free agent frenzy. Moehrig was taken in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft and, after a trio of middling seasons, came into his own and blossomed in in 2024 (his contract year, no les) as a safety who could drop in the box to be an enforcer and be reliable in coverage on the back end.
The 6-foot-2 and 202-pound TCU product was slated to be a pursued commodity on the open market due to his production and age (25) and the Panthers handed him a fat three-year, $51 million contract. That pact was one the richer deals reported on Monday.
Yet, Las Vegas didn’t sit on its laurels.
The Silver & Black landed an ample replacement in former Washington Commander Jeremy Chinn on the same day. A second-round pick (64th overall) in the 2020 draft, Chinn is much bigger than his predecessor at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, just as athletic (faster timed speed of 4.45 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine compared to Moehrig’s 4.50), and productive and Las Vegas landed the 27-year-old with a two-year, $16.258 million deal. Those contract terms pale in comparison to what the former Raider got with his new squad and represents fiscal responsibility with that value.
Jeremy Chinn is a good signing and cheaper than Moehrig. Not a big drop off if there is one at all. https://t.co/MlBbU95NfX
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) March 10, 2025
Jeremy Chinn
By The Numbers
- 2024: 17 games (17 starts), 117 total tackles (73 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 5 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recovers, 3 quarterback hits; Advanced stats (per PFR) 1021 defensive snaps (94 percent of Washington Commanders total), 22 blitzes, 4 pressures, 7 missed tackles.
Chinn’s arrival gives Las Vegas another tall, rangy, and versatile safety that can pair with Isaiah Pola-Mao. If that duo were to earn the starting nods at free and strong safety, it’d be a 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4 duo patrolling the backfield that can equally be effective near the line of scrimmage or in the box.
Both give Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham the ability to disguise as they offer similar traits and abilities and are physical safeties. Chinn and Pola-Mao give Las Vegas’ defensive play caller the option of being extra muscle defending the run or another pass rusher when activated to blitz. And both have the speed to feign a box look only to back pedal into pass coverage.
Isaiah Pola-Mao’s sack was a combo of a good play-call, good rush from the DL and good job of breaking down to make the tackle by him #Raiders pic.twitter.com/nHaeWITF6a
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) September 30, 2024
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for Chinn and Pola-Mao if they’re indeed the starting combination at safety.
Let’s not get it twisted, coverage remains key in a pass-happy NFL and it’ll be up to Graham, defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, and pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach Joe Woods to elevate Chinn’s and Pola-Mao’s (and every defensive back’s) coverage chops this offseason and during the 2024 campaign.
Compare & Contrast
Like Moehrig, Chinn is a versatile option who can line up at all the different levels of defense from close to the line of scrimmage, in the box, or deep in the backfield. Moehrig was charted as the better cover man, according to Pro Football Reference (PFR), allowing 38 receptions on 58 targets (65.5 percent completion rate) for 378 yards and four touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks sported a rating of 92.5 throwing at Moehrig.
Chinn, meanwhile, was charted allowing 39 completions against 53 targets, 73.6 percent completion rate, for 459 yards, and seven touchdowns given up.
Both rarely came off the field for their respective teams with Moehrig playing in 1,101 snaps (99 percent of the Raiders defensive plays) and Chinn accounting for 1,021 snaps (94 percent of the Commanders’ total).
Simplest of terms: Chinn is similar to Obi Melifonwu but developed and panned out as a starting NFL defender. Melifonwu was a specimen at 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds coming out of Connecticut and was taken by the Raiders win the second round (56th overall) of the 2017 draft. The safety was injury prone and played in seven total games in the NFL (one start) and finished with 24 career tackles over two seasons and was out of the league.
