The Carolina Panthers’ fire sale appears to be on, beginning with a blockbuster.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report that Carolina traded former All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport chipped in with the details, reporting the Panthers would receive second, third and fourth-round picks in 2023, as well as a fifth-round pick in 2025.
The probability of McCaffrey being traded seemed to rise by the minute, as Carolina has started to clear house in advance of a complete rebuild. The Panthers fired former head coach Matt Rhule, as well as two of his coordinators, on Oct. 10 and traded wide receiver Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals following a sideline dustup earlier this week.
Initial reports stated the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams were in the running for McCaffrey, but it ended up being Kyle Shanahan, whose father Mike coached McCaffrey’s father Ed with the Denver Broncos in the 1990s.
Much like the Rams’ strategy in recent years, San Francisco has gone all in on winning now. With this trade, the 49ers are without their own first, second, third and fourth-round picks in 2023. The only picks they will possess are compensation picks, including the ones they will receive for losing Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and New York Jets coach Robert Saleh.
Despite dealing with durability issues in each of the last two seasons, McCaffrey’s explosive run through his first three seasons has made him a popular trade target in recent months. He recorded 5,443 yards from scrimmage and 39 total touchdowns in 48 games over his first three seasons after being drafted seventh overall out of Stanford in 2017. The 26-year-old has 670 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in 2022, having played in all six of Carolina’s games to start the year.
