3 trade destinations where Christian McCaffrey could win a Super Bowl
By Dean Jones
Which teams looking to contend for a Super Bowl in 2022 could make the Carolina Panthers a tempting offer for star running back Christian McCaffrey?
There is no denying how important Christian McCaffrey is to the Carolina Panthers. But that is only half the story after a frustrating injury campaign – his second in succession – that caused the running back to miss 10 contests and pile even more frustration on his current predicament.
McCaffrey has featured just 10 times in two seasons and considering how the Panthers are almost too reliant on the All-Pro, something has to change. Whether this is utilizing him in a different fashion or acquiring better help is unclear, but there is also a chance Carolina entertains dealing the player and getting some important draft capital back in return.
This would be a franchise-altering call to make. Especially considering the Panthers would likely eat up plenty of dead-cap after McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million deal with a $21 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed last year.
It’s easy to forget that McCaffrey is still the league’s best dual-threat weapon when healthy. The last time he put together a full campaign was historic, with the back becoming only the third player in NFL history to put up 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
That was two years ago now and the league waits for no man. So if the Panthers got an offer that was too good to refuse, a bombshell trade involving McCaffrey cannot be ruled out entirely.
With this in mind, here are three potential contenders who could offer a tempting package for McCaffrey and boost their hopes of hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy next season.