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The Carolina Panthers have received calls regarding trades for running back Christian McCaffrey, but the organization has a lofty asking price, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
“I’m told the Panthers would be looking for a first-round pick plus another piece of compensation,” Jones reported.
McCaffrey has been one of the best offensive players in the NFL, finishing 2019 with a league-leading 2,392 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns. He had over 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards that season with 116 receptions.
Injuries have been the bigger story during the past two seasons, however, as he’s appeared in just 10 of 33 possible games.
Hamstring and ankle issues limited McCaffrey in 2021, while shoulder, thigh and ankle injuries held him back in 2020.
The versatile running back was effective when on the field, averaging 115.9 yards from scrimmage over the past two years with eight touchdowns in 10 games. Carolina went 4-3 in games McCaffrey appeared in last season but 1-9 without him.
It should keep the 25-year-old in high demand, even with the missed action. The trade could be a steal if the All-Pro can stay healthy.
The Panthers could also accelerate their rebuild by adding high draft picks, which are desperately needed after four straight years without a playoff appearance.
One holdup could be McCaffrey’s contract, which has an average salary of $16 million per year to lead running backs.
He has a $14.3 million cap hit for 2022, which would be difficult for many teams to swallow. A trade would also hurt the Panthers, who would be left with $18.5 million in dead cap if they traded McCaffrey this offseason, per Spotrac.
A trade after June 1 would save $8.6 million for 2022, but the squad would still be left with $12.8 million in dead cap for 2023.
original source: Christian McCaffrey Trade Rumors: Panthers Want 1st-Round Draft Pick, More in Deal
