The Carolina Panthers enter their bye week with an 0-6 record. Changes are already being made as head coach Frank Reich handed over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. However, the Panthers got some bad news on the defensive side as safety Jeremy Chinn is out for up to six weeks with a quad injury, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

‘Panthers’ S Jeremy Chinn has a significant quad injury that is expected to sideline him up to six weeks, per league sources. Chinn does not need surgery, but he also is in the last year of his contract and scheduled to be a free agent after this season.'

The 2020 second-round draft pick has been a steady presence for the Panthers' defense since coming into the league, although he played just 11 games in 2022 due to an injury. In 2023, he has 14 solo tackles and a sack, so this will be another bad turn of events for the winless Panthers.

Related Carolina Panthers NewsArticle continues below
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with QB Bryce Young and a silhouette of an American football player with a big question mark emoji inside. There is also a logo for the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina Panthers 3 best trade targets to round out 2025 roster
Tetairoa McMillan, Jordan Brand, Panthers
Jordan Brand signs Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan walks across the stage after being selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The draft runs through April 26.
Dave Canales’ ‘smooth’ review of Tetairoa McMillan will get Panthers fans hyped

The Panthers also lost Vonn Bell to an injury, so the secondary is taking some hits. As Schefter reported, the good news for Chinn is that he won't need surgery, but this is definitely not what anybody wants to happen during a contract year. Chinn's name was thrown around in trade rumors by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, so this injury takes him completely out of the trade market.

The Panthers have a Week 7 bye and a six-week timeline would put Chinn's return sometime around December, and gaining traction heading into free agency is going to be key for him.