The Carolina Panthers concluded an underwhelming preseason with a third consecutive loss. But one positive emerged above all else.
It was a developmental night for Dave Canales, who had 33 inactive players alongside him on the sideline. The game was critical for the coach and general manager, Dan Morgan, with final cuts on the immediate horizon.
Canales was pumped with energy watching his guys fight until the final whistle. The Panthers’ coach was red in the face at times, maintaining a regular-season-like intensity as he called the offense for the first time in 2025.
His most important job of the night was to keep an eye on a critical position battle. Safety has been one of the primary concerns for the defense this offseason. Nick Scott is listed as the starting option alongside Tre’Von Moerhig, but it is widely reported that it might not last for long.
Lathan Ransom strengthened his claims for Carolina Panthers starting spot
Lathan Ransom sits behind Scott on the depth chart. After returning to Ohio State for his senior season, he was often overshadowed by his All-American teammate, Caleb Downs. The duo of safeties led the Buckeyes to a national championship, and he's brought this momentum to Carolina.
The Panthers selected Ransom in the fourth round. Despite being a rookie, he has been competing with Demani Richardson and Scott for the starting job. In the final preseason outing, Ransom made a major splash, earning a team-high 84.7 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The defensive back shone against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He made an instinctive play in coverage, hauling in an interception off Mason Rudolph. This highlighted Ransom’s playmaking ability against an offense featuring many of its starters.
Panthers rookie safety Lathan Ransom picks off Rudolph!
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2025
Watch on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/MjyvEPgRQH
Each week, he has been building off the last. His development is apparent. The hard-hitting safety has been laying the wood since the start of camp, but consistency is key. Ransom plays big and can stop larger ball carriers dead in their tracks. He has a relentless will, but there have been some instances where he loses sight of the ball carrier.
Although Ransom might not be the elite deep coverage safety the Panthers have needed for years, his skill set still shines over Scott and Richardson. The sky is the limit, but in that same breath, there is plenty of room for improvement.
The Panthers' secondary has limited depth behind Jaycee Horn and Moerhig. With glaring weaknesses, Ejiro Evero will be hoping the rookie can fill big shoes.
As the Panthers head into the regular season, they have a favorable schedule. Ransom might not be able to avoid mistakes this early in his career, but he has the opportunity to learn from them.