San Francisco 49ers Acquire Christian McCaffrey: Why Did Carolina Panthers Trade Its Star Running Back?

The Carolina Panthers confirmed on Thursday night that running-back Christian McCaffrey will be traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

ESPN was the first to report that McCaffrey was returning to the Bay Area in exchange for a host of draft picks. The Panthers said the deal that sends McCaffrey back to the Bay Area, where he starred in college at Stanford, will be finalized when he passes a physical exam.

A person familiar with the terms told the Associated Press that the Panthers will receive picks in the second, third, and fourth rounds of the 2023 draft and a fifth-rounder in 2024.

The Panthers sought a first-round pick. However, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Niners had already dealt their 2023 first-round pick in a deal to select Trey Lance last year.

McCaffrey joins a talented group of playmakers in San Francisco, which includes star tight end George Kittle, versatile receiver Deebo Samuel, and receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Still, the Niners (3-3) were not as strong at running back without Elijah Mitchell, who could not play due to a knee injury. Giving head coach Kyle Shanahan one of the best options for running and receiving, Christian McCaffrey provides the team with a new way to play.

How Much Does Christian McCaffrey's Acquisition Cost the San Francisco 49ers?

The Carolina Panthers have already paid most of Christian McCaffrey's 2022 contract. From 2023 to 2025, his base salary will go up to almost $12 million yearly, but it is not yet guaranteed.

According to The Athletic, his new team owes him just over $1 million this season. McCaffrey cost the 49ers a lot of money in the draft, but he will only cost them about $646,000 in 2022 when it comes to the salary cap.

Since the 49ers have $5 million in cap space, they can easily spend that much in 2022. The 49ers now only have two third-round picks (after receiving two compensatory picks), one fifth-round pick, and two seventh-round picks because of this trade.

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch's time with the San Francisco 49ers is the first time they haven't had a first-or second-round pick. However, they are expected to get more compensatory picks in later rounds.

As Weeks 6 and 7 went on, teams like the Rams and Bills, in addition to the 49ers, had preliminary talks with the Panthers about McCaffrey.

But in the end, the 49ers and Rams showed the most interest in the 26-year-old running back/receiver, and they kept it until the end of the process.

Why Did the Carolina Panthers Trade Christian McCaffrey?

The Carolina Panthers gave up such a good player because they wanted to get better draft picks. The Panthers will reportedly not be successful in the long run since they are 1-5 this season, and they will need a new head coach in the offseason.

Moreover, Baker Mayfield does not appear to be the solution at quarterback. To finish rebuilding, the Panthers need to get as many drafts picks as possible while also trying to get the first overall pick in the NFL Draft of 2023.

According to Sporting News, that is precisely why the Panthers needed the trade. Although they could not get a first-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers, they still got a good deal because they got four picks in the second and fifth rounds.

Carolina Panthers now has two picks in each of the second, third, and fourth rounds of the 2023 draft. For some time, McCaffrey trade rumors have been circulating. As the trade deadline of November 1 got closer, the question of "if" McCaffrey would be traded changed to "when" will it happen.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network said the process has moved faster since the Carolina Panthers decided to look for a trade for Christian McCaffrey.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Christian McCaffrey Traded to the San Francisco 49ers - From ESPN