Getty Sean McVay celebrates an interception with Nick Scott on December 21, 2021 in Inglewood.
Nick Scott delivered two solo tackles against the Cincinnati Bengals 13 months ago before helping place the Vince Lombardi Trophy inside the “Rams House.”
Now, the Los Angeles Rams safety per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter on Friday, March 17 officially settled on signing a three-year, $12 million deal with the team he helped beat at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl 56. Scott officially becomes the first new safety addition for a team that’s lost both of their starting safeties in free agency.
However, while there was the report of Scott nearing a deal with the Bengals on Thursday, March 16, there was a late push from one six-time Super Bowl winner.
Team Also Hosted Ex-Scott Teammate on Visit
Via Mark Daniels of masslive.com on St. Patrick’s Day morning, a source shared the New England Patriots were also interested in the Super Bowl winning safety. The Patriots happened to have also hosted Scott’s former teammate and fellow safety Taylor Rapp on a free agent visit.
“The Patriots are casting a wide net on the safety market,” Daniels wrote. “According to a source, the Patriots have shown interest in free agent safety Nick Scott. The 27-year-old worked his way up from seventh-round pick to starter with the Los Angeles Rams. Last season, Scott started 16 games and finished with a career-high 86 tackles to go with two interceptions, five passes defended and two forced fumbles.”
Like the Bengals, the six-time Super Bowl champions are additionally trying to address their safety room following the departure of longtime safety Devin McCourty, who has since retired.
“Last season, he led the Patriots in defensive snaps played – 1,098 or 97.2%. McCourty played 784 snaps at the free safety position,” Daniels wrote.
He added that the Pats had minimal snaps from the safeties not named McCourty, saying “The Patriots had five other players see snaps at that spot, but Adrian Phillips (199 snaps) was the only player with over 100 snaps at free safety.”
Had the Pats found a way to lure in Scott, the move would’ve brought the Rams safety back to Massachusetts. Daniels said Scott played two seasons for Brookline High School, located 35 minutes north of Foxboro. Scott and his family relocated to Fairfax, Virginia. He went on to star for Penn State where he earned honorable mention honors in the Big 10 in 2018.
The Rams took Scott at No. 243 overall in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He was in the same draft class that saw Rapp become the first selection for L.A. at No. 61. Other members from that class include Darrell Henderson (waived during the 2022 season), David Long (free agent), Greg Gaines (also a free agent) and fifth rounder plus one more unrestricted free agent David Edwards.
Scott reached the end of his four-year, $2.6 million deal he signed his rookie season with the Rams.
Could Pats Still Turn to Rapp?
There are Patriot fans on social media hoping their team can settle on the fellow Super Bowl 56 champion of Scott Rapp.
By adding Rapp, the Pats will be adding a sure tackler who has delivered three seasons of 90 to 100 tackles in his four seasons with the Rams. He’s also snatched nine career interceptions and has produced 23 career pass deflections per Pro Football Reference.
So far, the Pats are the only team to have shown reported interest in Rapp.