The Carolina Panthers have done a terrific job this offseason of addressing some of the primary needs on both sides of the ball heading into the 2026 NFL season.

On defense, general manager Dan Morgan made it clear that his top priority would be fixing the front seven. This led to both EDGE Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd being signed to massive deals during the 2026 NFL Free Agency period. Morgan also followed up the free agency frenzy with an underrated signing on the offensive line in tackle Rasheed Walker, who will be a solid backup plan for 2022 first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu.

Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft right around the corner, the front office will look to continue its recent success during the highly anticipated event later this month. While it remains unclear as to what the Panthers could do in the first round, it’s obvious that the organization will be looking to target a safety in this year’s draft, which could be detrimental for veteran defensive back Nick Scott.

Scott, who spent the past two seasons with the Panthers, has been the primary deep safety for the Team throughout his tenure with the organization. After playing in just 10 games during the 2024 season, the 30-year-old veteran had a bounce-back season this past year, recording 111 tackles, three pass deflections, and one interception in 17 games.

However, the depth at the safety position from top to bottom in the upcoming draft class is loaded with talented playmakers. If the Panthers ultimately decide to stay put at pick No. 19 instead of trading back, both Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be in play on night one. Both players have plenty of experience as deep safeties and defensive threats inside the box, making them versatile weapons for the Panthers.

If Morgan and company decide to look elsewhere outside of the safety position in round one, there are multiple options for the organization to address the position in the later rounds. One name that makes perfect sense for Carolina is Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley, who is projected to go in the fourth round, was primarily a deep safety for the Nittany Lions and did a terrific job through the air in 2025.

In order for the Panthers to truly take the next step within their secondary unit in 2026, upgrading the free safety position is a must in this year’s draft. And depending on who Carolina winds up selecting, Scott’s role will take a massive hit.

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