The Carolina Panthers have traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for several draft picks. San Francisco is sending a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 fifth-round pick to Carolina. There is notably not a first-round pick involved in the deal. McCaffrey was involved in trade rumors after the team fired their Head Coach Matt Rhule and began what is likely going to be a lengthy rebuild. The star running back returns to California where he played college football for the Stanford Cardinal.
Stunner: Panthers are trading Pro-Bowl RB Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for draft picks, sources tell ESPN.
McCaffrey returns to the Bay Area, where he attended Stanford. pic.twitter.com/R474r3eSkv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2022
In his career with the Carolina Panthers, Christian McCaffrey rushed the ball 866 times for 3,980 yards and 32 touchdowns. He also caught 390 passes for 3,292 yards and 18 touchdowns in his Panther career. McCaffrey was named to one All-Pro team and one Pro Bowl in his career with the team. While the beginning of his career highlighted how special he is, the back half thus far has been massively bogged down with injuries.
Trade comp: 49ers are sending second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2023 and a fifth-round pick in 2024 in exchange for RB Christian McCaffrey, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 21, 2022
Several teams reached out about Christian McCaffrey in the last two weeks, but ultimately he heads back to California to play for a team that views itself as Super Bowl contenders. The San Francisco 49ers are loaded with playmakers on the offensive and defensive side of the ball and add yet another dangerous playmaker to the roster. Carolina sends away their best player before fully starting a rebuild that would have taken longer than whatever prime the running back has left in his career.
