By David Rogers. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — There are no shockwaves rippling around the NFL, because it has been widely bandied about in the last several days that the Carolina Panthers would entertain offers for trading star running back, Christian McCaffrey. Late Thursday night (Oct. 20), the San Francisco 49ers were successful in putting together a winning bid for the versatile McCaffrey: reportedly, second-, third-, and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in 2024, pending McCaffrey’s passing the requisite physical exam.
These are two teams going in different directions. The 1-5 Panthers are obviously pulling the plug on the 2022 season and crafting a rebuild scenario. They traded arguably their fastest wide receiver in Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week and McCaffrey to San Francisco this week. We get it that Anderson was in an emotional dustup with his position coach, but those “sideline things” happen at just about every level of athletics and none of us outsiders will ever know the full story. People simply have different perspectives and viewpoints. Maybe there was good reason for Anderson’s obvious frustration, but in the middle of a game on national TV is rarely the best place to express it if team harmony is an organizational priority.
At 3-3, San Francisco on the other hand is tied atop the NFC West with the Los Angeles Rams and are making a strong case for a Super Bowl run. Putting McCaffrey on the field with wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, as well as tight end George Kittle, might very well cause nightmares among the defensive coordinators of the 49ers’ future opponents.
McCaffrey, who is a native of Castle Rock, Colo., will be going back to familiar territory since he played college football at Stanford University, just 13 miles from where he will be plying his trade with the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
Although McCaffrey, the 2017 first-round pick by Carolina, has played all six NFL games on the 2022 Panthers schedule this year, he is now in his sixth year playing one of pro football’s most physically demanding positions. He was one of the NFL’s brightest stars during his first three seasons, culminating with his leading the league in yards from scrimmage with 2,392 in 2019, while running for a career-best 1,387 yards and adding another 1,005 receiving.
In 2020 and 2021, the wear and tear of playing professional football appeared to be catchin up to him. Because of four separate injuries, he was limited to playing in just 10 games the past two seasons.
The 26-year-old McCaffrey was off to a strong start this season, with 670 yards from scrimmage, fourth in the league behind only Saquon Barkley (771), Tyreek Hill (719), and Nick Chubb (700).
That performance was apparently good enough for the 49ers, that McCaffrey is back and can be a big contributor to a 49ers team with uncertainty at the running back position. The early season starter was Elijah Mitchell, who went down with an early season injury. The lead role is currently occupied by Jeff Wilson, Jr., now in his fifth pro season after playing collegiately at North Texas. Tevin Coleman, an 8-year veteran out of Indiana University who was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2015, played with San Francisco in 2019 and 2020, and with the New York Jets in 2021, before landing back in San Francisco this season. Two promising rookies are also in the 49er running back room, Tyrion Davis-Price (Louisiana State) and Jordan Mason (Georgia Tech). Marlon Mack, who starred at South Florida before being drafted by Indianpolis in 2017, had some good years with the Colts before injuries derailed his career. He was initially signed by Houston this season, then released before the season opener and on Sept. 14 signed by San Francisco. With McCaffrey’s signing, Mack’s future seems more uncertain, even on the practice squad where he currently is listed.
The Panthers currently have D’Onta Foreman, Chuba Hubbard, and Raheem Blackshear on the roster at running back, and earlier this week signed Spencer Brown to the practice squad. It is believed that Foreman, who played well for the Tennessee Titans last season in place of the injured Derrick Henry, will take on the lead running back role, with former Oklahoma State star Hubbard in the change of pace role. Although Blackshear has served primarily as a return specialist this year, his role may also be elevated with McCaffrey’s departure.
INTERESTING TIDBIT: McCaffrey, who played for Carolina against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 16, will potentially face them in consecutive games when the 49ers visit SoFi Stadium on Oct. 30. It is unlikely that he will be available when the 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 23.
