With the Carolina Panthers dismissing coach Matt Rhule and the club appearing to be in full rebuild mode, the organization should explore dealing any player who may fetch a good return. One of those players is veteran running back Christian McCaffrey. Here we'll look at three reasons the Panthers must trade him especially after they fired Rhule.

Remember that Rhule was dismissed less than 24 hours ago, and less than 48 hours after the Panthers lost to the San Francisco 49ers. The organization also let Rhule go without completing the seven-year, $62 million deal he was granted to turn things around in Charlotte, North Carolina, in January 2020. As a result, Rhule is still due more than $40 million.

With Rhule gone, it's unclear whether the Panthers will also offload certain players from their squad. Should they continue to rely on Baker Mayfield this season? How about Robbie Anderson, Shaq Thompson, and the already-mentioned Christian McCaffrey?

Also take note that according to ESPN, Carolina ranks bottom in yards per play (4.7), third-down conversion rate (33 percent), and Total QBR (31.0) since the start of last season.

With that context in mind, here are three reasons the Panthers must move Christian McCaffrey

3. Unload McCaffrey's huge contract

On April 16, 2020, Christian McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million contract deal with the Panthers through the 2025 season. That effectively made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

On the flip side, that also means finding a trading partner for McCaffrey would be difficult. Even if the Panthers were prepared to accept the cap penalty for money already given to McCaffrey, someone else would have to accept the responsibility of taking care of his future salary.

Consider that the 2022 base pay has been reduced to $1.035 million due to reorganization. McCaffrey is set to earn $12 million next year. He's also owed $12 million in 2024 and $12.2 million in 2025. That's a lot of change to swallow for any team, but also keep in mind that any team possibly acquiring him would have the option to dismiss him with minimal penalty as early as 2023.

Remember that there are only three Panthers games remaining before the trade deadline. The time is ticking and the phones should begin to ring. The Panthers need as much cap space as possible to jumpstart their rebuild for seasons to come, and unloading the highest-paid RB in the league would be a logical first step to make.

2. McCaffrey offers diminishing returns for the Panthers

Of course, Christian McCaffrey is the focal point of the Panthers offense. Yes, that's even if that offense has been bland and stale for the past few seasons. The long and short of it is that McCaffrey is one of the most skilled RBs on the planet. However, he has been hampered by injuries and an uninspired offense.

Recall that he missed 10 games last season and missed 13 in 2020. In the current 2022 NFL season, he has seen action in all five Panthers games, though. And in those games, he has amassed 324 running yards, 188 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns.

Sure, his stats don't project him to be among the top five RBs this year, but he doesn't appear any less dynamic on the field or when he actually has the ball in his hands. That makes it so difficult to criticize the man rather than the system.

As for the injuries, those technically are not his fault. It's just part and parcel of the nature of being an NFL running back.

As such, he offers diminishing returns for the Panthers as they are currently configured. His true value, in fact, may actually lie off the field and not on it.

1. McCaffrey's true worth lies in his trade value

When everything is said and done, the Panthers can simply get through this season and then release McCaffrey. Doing so, on the other hand, risks losing him for nothing.

This club doesn't have a lot of additional draft picks right now, and McCaffrey might be the key to changing that.

After appearing in just 10 games the previous two seasons, the 2019 Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro has been able to play every game this season. He is also averaging his career's third-highest yards per run (4.5). Remember, too, that he had 2,392 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns in his last complete NFL season.

McCaffrey — in the right system and when healthy — is definitely an elite RB in the league.

If Carolina is willing to trade CMC, there should be no shortage of interested parties. Despite somewhat short-handed or lackluster backfields, teams like the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and even the Los Angeles Rams can realistically benefit from having CMC.

Of course, a running back is unlikely to command a package comparable to a superstar QB. For example, the Panthers won't get a package comparable to what the Seahawks received for Russell Wilson. Seattle acquired two young players, a veteran, and five draft picks. Still, CMC should command a sizable sum from any team that believes he can provide enough of an upgrade to boost their playoff chances.