Carolina Panthers must avoid temptation of trading Christian McCaffrey

The Carolina Panthers are in full rebuilding mode as the temptation is undoubtedly there to trade star running back Christian McCaffrey. They must keep him around for the long-term.

With all the changes that hit the Carolina Panthers so far this offseason, it’s hard to believe what is going on. From players retiring and being released, the Panthers are committed to rebuilding the right way with hopes of fielding a competitive team again over the next few years.

When it comes to star running back Christian McCaffrey, there is a lot of temptation for general manager Marty Hurney. On one hand, McCaffrey is coming off his best season yet and as much as it would hurt to even see happen, gives Hurney something to think about. With clear needs on their defensive line, secondary, and even on their offensive line, trading McCaffrey could address those issues faster since he’s coming off an insanely great season. The Panthers can also gather more draft picks to facilitate their rebuild and become better faster via a blockbuster trade.

On the other hand, McCaffrey is just 23 years old and has his best years ahead of him. He’s undoubtedly a franchise player that will continue setting the NFL on fire with everything he brings to the table. Last season, McCaffrey totaled 1,387 rushing yards, 287 attempts, and 15 touchdowns on the ground. As a receiving option, proving his ability to get the job done through the air, he totaled 1,005 receiving yards, 116 receptions, and four touchdowns.

The Carolina Panthers must not trade Christian McCaffrey.

Needless to say, McCaffrey is a true force to reckon with but the Panthers must avoid the temptation of trading him away. It’s understandable considering that other teams will inquire as they know big changes are coming to the Panthers in hopes of being contenders again sooner rather than later but McCaffrey is someone worth building around. Most teams don’t like investing a lot of money in a running back but McCaffrey is truly something special.

It’s not often you find a dual-threat offensive playmaker than can keep those chains moving through the ground and air so easily. It’s not often you find a running back that is already developed into a locker room leader at such an early age. It’s not often you have a golden opportunity to secure a player that will give it his all on every play and do whatever it takes to win.

More from Cat Crave

McCaffrey is not slowing down anytime soon as one thing that helps to rebuild the right way is having players of his caliber continuing to do what they do best.

It’s imperative that the Panthers sign him to a new contract extension and keep him on the team for years to come. He not only deserves it but will only get better with time.

Usually, a rebuild takes about three full years for a team to see the results of their tough decisions. Can you imagine the impact McCaffrey will have with better talent around him?

Imagine him with a solid quarterback, stout offensive line, and other big weapons around him delivering consistent results? It has the recipe to bring major success to the Panthers down the road as he can be an intricate part to put everything together.

Overall, the Panthers would be wise to lock McCaffrey up to a new long-term deal and continue bolstering their roster over the next few years. It’s tempting to trade McCaffrey now to address other areas of the need on the roster but in the grand scheme of things, he’s a very important piece of the puzzle for a brighter future.

Home/Carolina Panthers News