Rookie Ransom Battles Veteran Moehrig for Panthers' Starting Safety Role

As the 2025 NFL regular season approaches, the Carolina Panthers are looking to shore up their defense, which was the league's worst last season. The team has made several key moves, including the signing of safety Tre'von Moehrig to a three-year, $51 million contract.

With Moehrig's spot secured, the Panthers now have an open competition for the other starting safety position. The contenders include Nick Scott, who was re-signed on a one-year deal, Demani Richardson, who started the final three games of the previous season, and rookie Lathan Ransom, a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State.

Ransom, a 6'0", 206-pound defender, has already made an impression in the preseason. In the Panthers' Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, he registered four tackles, three of them solo. This performance has caught the attention of the coaching staff, as the team looks to improve a defense that missed the third-most tackles (132) last season.

While Scott has the experience of being a primary special teams contributor, and Richardson has the advantage of starting experience, Ransom's potential could see him climb the depth chart and challenge for the top spot next to Moehrig. The Panthers are hoping to find a safety who can excel in both run defense and pass coverage, as they look to turn around a unit that allowed the most rushing yards and touchdown passes in the NFL in 2024.