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There are rumors that the Carolina Panthers are listening to offers for running back Christian McCaffrey. Despite the likelihood of the Panthers moving their franchise running back, a deal would have to entail at least one first-round pick and a player with a low cap number.
In January, Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer said that he had "no intention at all" of moving on from McCaffrey. However, after his exit interview following the Panthers' 5-12 season in 2021, Fitterer said:
"There was a report back in November that we were actively trying to trade him, and I told him that was not true. What I did tell him was, 'Hey, listen, I'll take any call. Call and make any offer you want.'"
In March of last year, the 25-year-old All-Pro signed a four-year, $64,063,500 contract with the Panthers, including a $21,500,000 signing bonus, $38,162,500 guaranteed, and an average yearly salary of $16,015,875.
He'll earn a base salary of $8,400,000 and a workout bonus of $200,000 while carrying a cap hit of $14,309,500 and a dead cap value of $26,638,000 for the 2022 season.
Christian McCaffrey and his career with the Panthers
The running back was drafted with the Panthers' eighth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He had 117 carries, 435 yards rushing, and two rushing touchdowns in his rookie season while catching 80 passes for 651 yards receiving and five touchdown receptions.
He rushed for 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns in his second season in 2018 and added 107 receptions, 867 receiving yards, and six touchdowns in the passing game. The 1,965 total yards from scrimmage were the third-most in the NFL that season.
In 2019, he became the third running back in league history to have 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season. The other two were Roger Craig of the San Francisco 49ers (1985 season) and Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 season.
Since that season, he has played in only 10 of 33 games due to injuries. That has limited him to 667 yards rushing and 492 yards receiving in that time frame. He played in just seven games in the 2021 season.
The running back missed the last five following a left ankle injury in the first half of Carolina's Week 12 loss versus the Miami Dolphins.
McCaffrey also suffered a hamstring injury during a Week 3 victory against the Houston Texans that placed him on injured reserve. McCaffrey is on track to be 100 percent for the 2022 season and play in all 17 games.
