Is Legion of Boom 2.0 in the making? That hard-hitting, ball-hawking secondary group turned the Seattle Seahawks into a defensive powerhouse in the 2010s, leading them to their first Super Bowl victory. With Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas at its core, this unit dominated offenses. They allowed the fewest points in the league for four straight seasons. No other team in the Super Bowl era has done that. Now, with whispers of a new shutdown corner and safety in the mix, could we be witnessing the birth of something just as special under ex-Hawks HC Pete Carroll?

The Las Vegas Raiders recently added a free agent, Jeremy Chinn, to Pete Carroll’s roster. With his arrival, the general manager of the franchise, John Spytek, compared him to Kam Chancellor of the “Legion of Boom” era. During a new episode of the Raiders, Spytek talked about some of the newly added players to the team, including Chinn, who is considered to be one of the best safeties in the league.

Praising the build-up of Pete Carroll’s new member, Spytek said, “I thought he played some of his best football, probably, maybe, the best football of his career in Washington last year. He’s a guy that when he came out of Southern Illinois, a handful of years ago in Tampa, we had a lot of respect for (him). I mean, he’s a unique height-weight speed guy at 63 running in the 4-3. He’s a highly intelligent player, very versatile on the back end, and that was something that coach [Pete] Carol was looking for.”

To put some numbers to it, Jeremy Chinn started 15 games for the Panthers in 2020. During that season, he recorded 117 total tackles, five pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Not only that—this man also became the first player in the Super Bowl era to score two fumble recovery touchdowns in the same game. Impressive!

However, in the offseason, the Commanders released the talented player in free agency due to financial issues. Now, he has found a new home with the Raiders. The reason behind bringing him in is clear: Pete Carroll wanted a player who could breathe life into his defense. And who better than the third-best safety prospect of the 2020 NFL Draft?

Hence, while talking about Carroll, Spytek further added, “So, as he’s (Pete Carroll) talking about bringing his defense to life and what is required at the different spots, you know you think back to those great Seattle defenses in the Kam Chancellor role. I mean Kam was a big man playing kind of the strong safety position. Jeremy’s a little faster than Kam was, but you know from a body standpoint, that’s kind of they’re pretty similar. And Pete just had a great vision for how this guy’s going to come to life in our defense. The things that he’s going to be able to do. The versatility that he brings.” Spytek has high expectations from Carroll.

With Trayvon Diggs potentially heading in a different direction, the team had to find a solution. Hence, Chinn became Pete Carroll’s focus. He already has experience in a similar system under Dan Quinn, and last season’s tape showed exactly how he could fit (after his 73 solo tackles, 44 assists, 2.0 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception stats of 2024).

That familiarity made him an easy choice, even without a long history with the team. Now, with this Legion of Boom-like player, Carroll will be able to strengthen the defense—and who knows? Another Legion of Boom squad under Carroll might be in the making. After all, another key piece of that evolving special unit has just been added to the team.

Pete Carroll has brought another gem to his roster!

Pete Carroll and the Raiders are happy to bring Lonnie Johnson Jr from free agency after the Panthers released him. The most important thing about him? Well, he is versatile and flexible, playing both corner and safety in the NFL. But there is one thing about this special teamer which is most loved by his new squad, and i.e. his unselfishness!

While delving more into this, GM John Spytek, in the same episode, said, “Lonnie’s been a guy that you know he’s a corner, he’s a safety, he’s a teams guy and really there’s an unselfishness to Lonnie that you really respect. Whatever you need Lonnie to do, he’ll do. He’s smart enough to play all those spots.” His skills say a similar story.

Till now, Lonnie Johnson Jr has played in 83 games in his NFL career. His ability to play different spots can surely help Pete Carroll and the team in flexibility. But one of his biggest strengths is his impact on special teams. Spytek highlighted how Johnson is one of the best gunners in the league – a role that often goes unnoticed but is crucial in flipping field position. With a strong punter and elite gunners, a team can control the game in ways many don’t realize.

So, for GM Spytek, he’s exactly the kind of player they want. The one who’s committed to turning things around and being a great teammate. That’s the mindset Pete Carroll’s team is building for 2025!