After missing out on defensive tackle Milton Williams, the Carolina Panthers have made a handful of moves in the offseason, though none have been major splashes. To continue their free agency spending, the Panthers brought back one of their own, re-signing safety Nick Scott, per Adam Schefter on X.
“Panthers have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran safety and special teams standout Nick Scott,” Schefter wrote. “Back to Carolina.”
After the Los Angeles Rams drafted Scott in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he spent four seasons with the Rams, not starting a game until his third year with the team.
In 2021, Scott started one game; however, he earned the starting nod in 2022, starting all 16 games he appeared in.
Once his four-year rookie contract expired, Scott signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023, appearing in 17 games and starting in 10.
And lastly, in 2024, Scott signed with the Panthers, looking to add a boost to their defense that actually ranked third-best against the pass in 2023 — the year before Scott signed.
As someone who can line up at different spots in the secondary, Scott moved around quite a bit in his sole season with the Panthers in 2024.
Free safety: 172 snaps
Box safety (strong safety): 86 snaps
Slot corner: 54 snaps
FG/XP block: 49 snaps
Punt coverage: 45 snaps
Kick return: 43 snaps
Kick coverage: 24 snaps
Punt return: 11 snaps
So, while Scott might not be at the level of Budda Baker or Kyle Hamilton, he adds a level of versatility that’s helpful for a team like the Panthers.
Although they had a strong end-of-season push in 2024, the Panthers are still ways away from competing in the NFC considering where they’re at in the 2025 NFL offseason.
If Dave Canales can build off of how the Panthers ended their season in 2024 and parlay that into 2025 success, they could be a contender in the NFC South — one of the weaker divisions in the NFL.
And with the reunion of Nick Scott in free agency, the Panthers can rest assured that they’ll have the versatile safety on their defense for another season.