CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers are keeping their defensive glue in place. On Saturday, the team officially re-signed starting safety Nick Scott to a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million. The move ensures the 30-year-old veteran returns to anchor a secondary that fueled Carolina’s 2025 NFC South championship run.
Scott didn’t just fill a spot last year; he owned it. He racked up a career-high 111 tackles in 2025, finishing second on the team in total stops. He was the definition of an ironman, logging 1,035 defensive snaps while starting all 17 regular-season games. Whether he was crashing the box to blow up a run or tracking deep balls, Scott’s presence allowed defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to get aggressive with his front seven.
The veteran’s most iconic moment of the 2025 campaign came in Week 13. Scott picked off Matthew Stafford in the end zone, a play that effectively sealed an upset win over the Los Angeles Rams and snapped Stafford’s NFL-record streak of 28 touchdown passes without a pick. That win proved to be the spark Carolina needed to clinch the division at 8-9.
“Nick is the guy who makes sure everyone is lined up correctly before the ball is even snapped. You can’t put a price on that kind of veteran savvy. He’s the heartbeat of this room, and we weren’t going to let him walk.”
— Ejiro Evero, Defensive Coordinator
Re-signing Scott provides vital continuity alongside safety Tre’von Moehrig. While the Panthers suffered a gut-wrenching 34-31 loss to the Rams in the Wild Card round on January 10, Scott’s performance was a rare bright spot. He played every single snap in that playoff thriller, recording nine tackles and keeping the defense alive until the final 38 seconds.
Even after this signing, the Panthers still hold nearly $25 million in cap space. General Manager Dan Morgan has been aggressive early in the 2026 cycle, already adding edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. By securing Scott now, Carolina solidifies its veteran leadership as they prepare to defend their NFC South crown and push for a deeper postseason run in 2026.
