What Christian McCaffrey commerce means for 49ers’ current, future
By Eric D. Williams
FOX Sports activities NFC West Author
The San Francisco 49ers sat by idly and watched final season because the Los Angeles Rams made massive, splashy strikes that helped propel them to a Tremendous Bowl, signing receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and security Eric Weddle in addition to buying and selling for Matthew Stafford and Von Miller.
The 49ers have executed a move that could offer similar results, dealing for explosive working again Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night time.
In accordance with stories, San Francisco gave up second-, third- and fourth-round alternatives in subsequent yr’s draft, together with a fifth-rounder in 2024 in alternate for McCaffrey, who returns to the realm the place he performed his faculty ball at Stanford.
Hypothesis that the Panthers can be keen to half methods with McCaffrey heated up final week after Carolina fired head coach Matt Rhule, signaling the beginning of that group’s rebuilding effort.
The 49ers are at present tied atop the NFC West at 3-3 alongside the Rams and Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco working again Elijah Mitchell has been out with a knee damage however is anticipated again earlier than season’s finish.
McCaffrey, 26, offers San Francisco’s run-based offense with a dynamic runner and pass-catcher out of the backfield who provides to an already harmful group of playmakers that options receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk and tight finish George Kittle.
With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan has a succesful distributor of his offense who can shortly get the ball to gamers in area, permitting them to make performs after the catch.
San Francisco has probably the greatest defenses within the NFL, led by defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, linebacker Fred Warner and safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Jimmie Ward.
Financially, McCaffrey will solely depend for $1 million in wage on the books this season after remodeling his deal in the course of the offseason. He is slated to make $36 million over the subsequent three years, but it surely’s not assured.
There’s additionally McCaffrey’s prolonged damage historical past to contemplate. The gifted runner missed 23 video games over the past two years attributable to accidents. However this season he has managed to remain wholesome, taking part in all six video games and totaling 607 scrimmage yards, fourth-most within the league.
Chosen No. 8 general within the 2017 draft, McCaffrey has recorded 7,272 yards from scrimmage and 50 complete touchdowns in six NFL seasons.
The transfer leaves San Francisco with solely two picks in subsequent yr’s draft, a 3rd spherical and fifth-round choice.
Nevertheless, the Niners are constructed to win now, and including McCaffrey makes an already good offense much more explosive.
Shanahan additionally has a relationship with McCaffrey. His father, Ed, gained a Tremendous Bowl with San Francisco within the 1994 season and two extra titles in Denver with Shanahan’s father, Mike, as the pinnacle coach.
San Francisco might probably unveil its latest offensive weapon Sunday when it hosts the Kansas City Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App).
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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