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Bay Area Bound
The San Francisco 49ers made headlines after a blockbuster trade on Friday, acquiring superstar running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for draft picks. Here is a complete breakdown of the trade, covering what this move means for the future of both franchises.
Trade At A Glance
San Francisco 49ers receive:
- Christian McCaffrey, RB
Carolina Panthers receive:
- 2023 2nd round pick
- 2023 3rd round pick
- 2023 4th round pick
- 2024 5th round pick
McCaffrey’s Career So Far
As Carolina’s 2017 first round pick, McCaffrey was one of the franchise’s few bright spots over his first three seasons. In 2019, he led the NFL in scrimmage yards with 2,392, racking up a career-high 1,387 rushing yards and 1,005 through the air. This feat has only been accomplished two other times in NFL history, joining the likes of legends Marshall Faulk and Roger Craig. Alongside his success have been a plethora of injuries, limiting McCaffrey to just 10 games played over the 2020 and 2021 seasons combined. McCaffrey has proven this to be just a minor setback however, as he currently sits fourth in the NFL in total scrimmage yards after six weeks.
What Does This Mean for San Francisco?
This trade makes it clear that the 49ers are in “win now” mode. San Francisco has a history of drafting solid running backs in later rounds. Take Jeff Wilson Jr. for example, who was signed in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of North Texas. Trading away multiple mid-round picks for a 26-year-old back is contrary to the 49ers beliefs, as this offense is the perfect example of a “plug and play” scheme, meaning any back can have success when the rest of the offense does their job. With a traditionally ground and pound style of offense, San Francisco receives much needed versatility in the backfield with McCaffrey. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo thrives in play action passing, and adding the best pass catching back in the league will only improve his play. My biggest concern for San Francisco is the amount of quality draft picks they traded to Carolina. Running backs in the NFL have a notoriously low shelf life, and a 26-year-old McCaffrey coming back from two significant lower body injuries makes me wonder how many competitive years he has left to give. Personally, if the 49ers are not representing the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl, I would consider this a poor decision long term.
Under Construction in Carolina
It is undeniable that the Panthers are entering a rebuild. After firing head coach Matt Rhule less than two weeks ago, Carolina then traded wide receiver Robbie Anderson to Arizona for two future late-round picks before shipping McCaffrey off to San Francisco. GM Scott Fitterer now has full control of his franchise, and it is up to him to complete a successful rebuilding of the Panthers. It is imperative that a prosperous GM is focused both on winning now as well as having a competitive roster in the future. These two aspects are generally difficult to balance, and when one side weighs down the other too much, trouble is bound to ensue. Fitterer has found himself in a predicament: every move he makes will have a lasting impact on this franchise, positive or negative. There are definitely benefits in trading Christian McCaffrey, and I believe Fitterer made the right decision in doing so. Moving him was an essential part of this rebuilding process, and although San Francisco did not give up a first round pick, Carolina received a future starter, role player, and rotational guy if they play their cards right. McCaffrey is a generational talent and he will not be replaced by any pick in Carolina’s near future, however this trade provides the opportunity for structure that the Panthers desperately need to compete. This is just the second season of Scott Fitterer’s tenure as the Panthers’ GM, and he will be under watchful eyes as every decision made will determine his fate in Charlotte.
