NFL Trade Rumors: Panthers GM doesn't rule out possible Christian McCaffrey move

The Carolina Panthers will not be playing in the postseason after a 5-12 record in 2021, meaning they get an early start in planning for the future... and there's a lot of it.

The Panthers do not have an answer at quarterback after Sam Darnold crumbled as the starter and Cam Newton's return was uneventful. While they have been set at running back for several years, that might not be the case anymore.

Christian McCaffrey has had his name pop up in trade rumors more frequently despite his issues with staying healthy. General manager Scott Fitterer gave some insight into what McCaffrey's future with Carolina looks like and about the trade rumors.

"I told [McCaffrey] what was the truth and what was not the truth," said Fitterer. "I think there was a report back in November that we were actively trying to trade him and that was not true. What I did tell him though is as a GM, I'll take any call. You can call and make any offer you want. That doesn't mean we're going to do it. That doesn't mean we're shopping you. I'll listen.

Fitterer also stated that there is no direct intention to trade McCaffrey, but you can never say never for any player:

"I look at Christian as a foundation piece on this team, one of those building blocks... I would love for him to be here but I would never not take a call... there is no intentions right now of trading Christian McCaffrey."

Should the Carolina Panthers get rid of Christian McCaffrey?

Christian McCaffrey is the best player for Carolina when he's on the field; but that wasn't often the case in 2021. He only played in seven games in 2021 after missing all but three games in 2020. He has played only 10 of 33 games since Matt Rhule took charge.

Some see McCaffrey as a red flag in a trade with his history of injuries, but NFL teams have made blockbuster trades for worse players.

McCaffrey ran for 1,000+ yards in 2018 and 2019, with an additional 1,000+ receiving yards in 2019.

He is still only 25 and a top-five running back when healthy. When it comes to the Panthers, they cannot win with McCaffrey alone, but they may need to get rid of him in order to fix the offense.

Entering the offseason, Carolina could trade McCaffrey for some major draft capital if they have a few top prospects in mind. They could also build a packaged deal that includes McCaffrey to go after someone like Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson or Tua Tagovailoa.

It seems the Panthers would only give consideration to a trade with a starting quarterback or two first-round picks involved. That may be difficult with McCaffrey's contract, which has a cap hit of $17 million in 2022 and 2023. Which team would take that contract for someone who may only play six games in a season?

As talented as Christian McCaffrey is, Carolina has major holes in the rest of the roster. Their backfield has a good young player in Chuba Hubbard, and they could draft someone like Kenneth Walker or Kyren Williams to build a solid duo to replace CMC. It's easier to replace a running back compared to finding a franchise quarterback in the NFL.