NFL fines struggling Panthers safety Nick Scott for obvious penalty vs. Patriots

One of several items the Carolina Panthers front office left unfinished this offseason was finding a proven veteran to start net to Tre'Von Moehrig on the back end of their defense. Even though they met with several quality free agents, they wound up not signing any of them and have been starting Nick Scott, instead.

Scott has his strong points, but he's better-suited for a backup role at this stage of his career - and forcing him into the starting lineup has worked out predictably poorly. This past week Scott found himself out of position - as he often has - so he tried to trip the Patriots' ball-carrier with his legs rather than make an attempt at a tackle.

That obvious penalty drew an easy flag from the officials, costing the Panthers another 15 yards on the play. Now, Nick Scott is feeling his wallet a little lighter as a result. According to Joe Person at The Athletic, the league office has fined Scott over $7,400 for the infraction.

Panthers S Nick Scott fined $7,431 for his tripping penalty last week at New England.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 4, 2025

Moehrig's poor coverage complicates the picture, but the Panthers should at least try to see if adding rookie Lathan Ransom to the first-team secondary helps. Ransom has performed better than Scott but as yet has only been on the field for 70 defensive snaps, 30% of the team's total this season.

The dynamic on the back end - and the team's refusal to make a change - is frustrating enough. What's even more galling is a familiar dynamic of players leaving Carolina only to breakout for other teams is playing out here, as well.

Last season Xavier Woods struggled mightily in coverage for the Panthers and was allowed to leave in free agency this offseason. However, through four games Woods has enjoyed a complete turnaround with the Tennessee Titans, and is currently the highest-graded safety in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, thanks mostly to an excellent 89.8 grade in coverage.

Sep 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Lathan Ransom (22) reacts after making an interception during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. | Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

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