Christian McCaffrey now has a new home as the post-Matt Rhule era continues to unfold in Charlotte, North Carolina. The San Francisco 49ers just acquired McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for four draft picks. These are the second, third, and fourth-round picks in 2023, as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024. Here, we'll try to look at the implications of this trade for these two franchises.
The Panthers' fire sale following the dismissal of previous head coach Matt Rhule continues unabated. The team already previously moved wide receiver Robby Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals, and now they've traded running back Christian McCaffrey way out west to the 49ers. ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news first.
Keep in mind that McCaffrey was drafted eighth overall by the Panthers out of Stanford in 2017. He led the league with 403 carries, 2,392 yards from scrimmage, and 19 total touchdowns in 2019. He was First-team All-Pro that year and Second-team All-Pro the year prior.
There's no question that McCaffrey has been one of the league's most productive backs, both as a runner and a receiver. That is whenever he's been able to get on the field. Another thing to keep in mind is that he missed more games in the next two seasons due to injury — 13 in 2020 and 10 in 2021 — than he played in.
In this season, however, Christian McCaffrey has been relatively healthy. In fact, he has appeared in all six games for the Panthers this season. He has so far accumulated 393 yards and two touchdowns on 85 rushes. He has also gotten 33 catches for 277 yards and another touchdown.
Take note that last April 16, 2020, McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million deal with the Panthers. His salary cap hits will increase to $19,550,750 in 2023 and 2024, and $15,450,750 in 2025. That's something to consider for the 49ers moving forward.
Here are our grades for both the 49ers and Panthers for this trade:
49ers: B
In the trades that led to the selection of quarterback Trey Lance, the 49ers had already surrendered their 2023 first-round pick to Miami. Following the McCaffrey trade, the franchise is left with just three third-round compensatory picks awarded by the NFL as part of a program rewarding organizations that produced minority head coaches and general managers. These are now-Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew, now-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and now-Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
The 49ers are essentially rolling the dice on this season and the next two as they have practically no viable draft stock left. From an on-field standpoint, the move seems desperate. With Lance out and the 49ers treading water led by Jimmy Garoppolo, they certainly didn't seem like they were on the verge of a Super Bowl run. At the same time, someone like Christian McCaffrey doesn't appear to be the missing piece for this offense.
On the flip side, the 49ers' front office didn't simply rest on their laurels. They made a move, and at least that much should be recognized by their fanbase. If CMC ends up playing near All-Pro levels again, then who knows, right? Maybe this could be the coup of the season.
In all probability, however, this doesn't move the needle that much for the 49ers. Remember that since Lance's season-ending injury, this team has gone 2-2 under Jimmy G. They are tied for first place in the NFC West with three other teams. This is a move they made banking on CMC's upside. We'll see if it pays off with Ws.
Panthers: B+
The Panthers are on a full rebuild. If there was some doubt about that before today, then this all but confirms it. They've pretty much raised the white flag for the rest of the season and are looking ahead to the next few years' worth of new blood.
Speaking of the rest of the season, the Panthers will likely rotate D'Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard, and Raheem Blackshear in the backfield. Foreman will likely be RB1 as he's the most seasoned of the three. However, he hasn't had a big game yet this year. He is coming off a 19-yard effort against the Rams in Week 6.
Circling back to Christian McCaffrey, when we consider his talent, contract, and his age, getting about a handful of picks feels like a fairly solid return for the Panthers. Two top-100 picks and a couple of day-three picks may not have the gleaming appearance of a first-round pick, but this should help replenish their depth. If they pick right, they might even snag a diamond (or two) in the rough.
We're a little sad for the Panthers fans since CMC has always seemed like a true favorite in Charlotte. They will surely remember him well. But this is the reality of professional football. It's a business, and in this context, it was just time for both parties to part ways.
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