Injuries have largely kept Christian McCaffrey off the field over the past two seasons, significantly limiting his production since the Panthers gave him a record-setting running back extension. Carolina was not believed to be interested in trading its starting back, but that has not stopped other teams from calling.
McCaffrey inquiries have come the Panthers’ way, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes the team would want a monster return for the talented dual-threat back. The Panthers would seek a first-round pick and another asset for McCaffrey, who four seasons remaining on his deal. CMC is attached to an $8.4MM base salary in 2022; his salaries jump past $11MM beginning in 2023.
While unrealistic, the Panthers’ ask makes sense due to how disadvantageous a trade would be for them financially. Unloading McCaffrey’s contract before June 1 would tag the Panthers with $18MM in dead money. A post-June 1 trade would at least save Carolina more than $8MM, but the Panthers would obviously be selling low given their star back’s past two seasons. Last year, the Panthers were not believed to have included McCaffrey in their Deshaun Watson talks.
McCaffrey, 26, has played just 10 games over the past two seasons. Ankle and hamstring injuries have disrupted the second-generation NFLer’s prime. An All-Pro season in which McCaffrey finished with an NFL-leading 2,392 scrimmage yards prompted Matt Rhule to greenlight that four-year, $64MM extension in 2020. That set the running back market. None of McCaffrey’s 2017 classmates or subsequent running back extension recipients have passed the $15MM-per-year threshold.
Committing big money to running backs is a dicey idea even when they haven’t missed more than twice as many games as they’ve played over the last two years. Who’s trading anything of value AND taking on that salary? Great player when he’s healthy, but yikes.
Totally agree. I’ll go a step further and bet his career is more or less over by the time he turns 30. It’s unfortunate, but he’s trending that way.
Dan Snyder written all over it.
Two big name offensive players – qb and rb- for the inaugural commanders season.
The first thing I thought of was Snyder. He wants revenge on the league for kicking him out for a season. He will do whatever it takes to prove that he ‘has been right all along.’ LOL
Chiefs 1st plus ceh
Chiefs 6th round. We already have another running back who can’t play a full season.
Let’s Go Buffalo!
Since when is a first and an asset a monster hall??
Because it’s rich to invest a first round pick in a running back on their rookie deal. Investing a first round pick in a running back who’s already expensive is a LOT.
if Miami could get a trade done with a non essential player and a 2 or 3 I’d be ok with it but not a first + as he’s injury prone atm and it’s a risk and I’m not gonna risk a first on him
exactly why, unless the panthers are hellbent on unloading that albatross of a contract, cmc will stay put
Nah, he’s staying pat.