Revisiting Panthers-49ers Christian McCaffrey Trade One Year Later

The NFL typically can't compete with the NBA or MLB when it comes to blockbuster trade-deadline deals. But that wasn't the case last season.

Star running back Christian McCaffrey was acquired by the San Francisco 49ers in a trade with the Carolina Panthers late in the evening on October 20, 2022. The 49ers sent four draft picks to the Panthers in exchange for the Pro Bowler. The 1-5 Panthers parted with their former first-round pick as one of the many steps to their eventual rebuild. And San Francisco added perhaps the best dual-threat playmaker in the league to its already efficient offense.

One year later, here's a look back at the deal and what each team has done since.

Panthers Initially Seen As Trade Winners

Though there was no doubt in McCaffrey's ability when the 49ers traded for him, some skepticism surrounded San Francisco parting with assets in exchange for an aging, expensive running back.

The 27-year-old is the highest-paid player at his position in the league, in terms of average annual value, making just over $16 million a season. This comes as other elite running backs, Saquon Barkley and Jonathan Taylor for example, have fought for what they believe to be appropriate compensation. McCaffrey had also missed 23 of 33 games across the 2020-21 seasons with various injuries. So between his salary, health, and positional value, some experts weren't thrilled with San Francisco's end of the trade.

Instead, several outlets favored Carolina's part of the deal and rebuilding strategy.

CBS Sports at the time gave the Panthers an A- grade in the McCaffrey deal, while the 49ers received a B-. Bleacher Report listed Carolina as one of the trade's winners, citing the Panthers' need to shed expensive contracts and hoard draft picks. ESPN's initial report at the time gave the 49ers a C- and the Panthers an A-.

Earlier this year, ESPN reevaluated the trade and gave San Francisco an A- instead. McCaffrey's production makes it easy to see why.

The seventh-year pro has tallied 1,299 rushing yards, 641 receiving yards, and 19 total touchdowns over his first 17 games in a 49ers uniform. The NFL's official X, formerly Twitter, account celebrated the one-year anniversary of the deal on Friday morning and asked if it is the greatest midseason trade of all time.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan may argue yes.

"The example he sets for everybody and the guy is, I mean, he reminds me of just a basic mentality, like a walk-on guy who's just trying to get people's attention for working so hard," Shanahan said of McCaffrey this week. "He is one of the most talented guys in the league, and was in college coming out, and every single play it's like the biggest thing in the world, whether he is getting the ball or not. It's a really great example of how to be a football player."

How Carolina Used Draft Picks

McCaffrey being traded to the 49ers ended a six-year run in Carolina that started when the Panthers took the former Stanford running back No. 8 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.

"Christian's focus and commitment to the game are rare," Panthers owner David Tepper said of the trade at the time. "He is humble, takes nothing for granted, works extremely hard and has earned everything he has accomplished. I'm grateful for his contributions to the Panthers and wish him the best as he moves forward with his career."

Moving the two-time Pro Bowler was indeed the first step of a Panthers overhaul.

In the McCaffrey trade, the Panthers received second, third, and fourth-round picks in this year's draft, along with a fifth-round selection in 2024. But Carolina has yet to use any of the picks it received from San Francisco — at least not directly.

The Panthers parted with San Francisco's 2023 second-round pick, along with wide receiver D.J. Moore, as part of the package they sent the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall selection in this year's NFL Draft. Carolina took Alabama QB Bryce Young with the pick. Chicago dealt that 49ers pick again to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who took tight end Brenton Strange at No. 61 overall.

The Panthers also traded San Francisco's No. 93 and 132 overall picks this year to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the 80th overall selection. The Panthers took edge rusher DJ Johnson at that spot, while Pittsburgh added tight end Darnell Washington and linebacker Nick Herbig.

McCaffrey Making An Impact in San Francisco

The 49ers have surely made the most out of having a top-tier running back in their backfield.

McCaffrey ranks first in scrimmage yards (2,239) and touchdowns (22) since the 49ers acquired him ahead of Week 7 last season, per ESPN. The former Heisman Trophy finalist also leads players at his position in receptions, receiving yards, and explosive plays (10+ yard rush or 20+ yard catch) in that span.

The 5-foot-11 back has scored a touchdown in 15 straight games, tied for the second-longest streak in NFL history. McCaffrey also leads the league in rushing yards (553) through six games this season. The 49ers are 15-2 in the regular season since the trade and could have made a Super Bowl appearance last season if all of their QBs weren't hurt for most of the NFC Championship Game.

Meanwhile, the Panthers are the only winless team in the NFL, having recorded an 0-6 start to the season.

"In hindsight, I firmly believe it's the best thing that ever happened to me," McCaffrey said of the trade over the offseason.