Tonight on Monday Night Football, the 6-5 Carolina Panthers will take on the 7-4 San Francisco 49ers at 8:15 p.m. EST on ESPN.
The Panthers and the 49ers made history a few years ago with a trade involving running back Christian McCaffrey. The Panthers traded McCaffrey to the 49ers and received a haul of draft picks for him. Here’s how both teams have fared since the trade was completed ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
How Did the Christian McCaffrey Trade Affect Both Teams?
On October 20, 2022, McCaffrey was traded from the Panthers to the 49ers. In return, the Panthers acquired a slew of picks. They received a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The return turned into the following:
- 2023 second-round pick: Traded to the Chicago Bears to acquire the first overall pick to draft quarterback Bryce Young
- 2023 third-round pick: traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers as part of a deal for the team’s 80th overall pick. With that pick, they took DJ Johnson, an outside linebacker from the University of Oregon.
- 2023 fourth-round pick: Traded to the Steelers as part of the deal for DJ Johnson. In 31 games, Johnson only recorded half a sack and was waived in late September.
- 2024 fifth-round pick: Traded to the New York Giants as part of the deal for the Giants’ 39th and 141st overall picks. This was part of the Brian Burns trade and helped them acquire Jonathan Brooks, who has appeared in only three professional games due to ACL injuries.
Meanwhile, the 49ers acquired one of the best running backs in the league, who they have under contract until the end of the 2027 season.
In his time with the 49ers, McCaffrey has rushed for 3,114 yards and 26 touchdowns in 674 attempts. Additionally, as a receiver, he’s caught 208 passes for 1,906 yards and 16 touchdowns.
McCaffrey is consistently one of the top running backs in the league when he can stay healthy. He has missed numerous games throughout his career, which was a motivation for the Panthers to trade him.
READ MORE: Week 13 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Fall After Loss to Cowboys, Steelers Tumble
In PFSN’s Running Back Impact metrics, his best season game was in 2023 with the 49ers. He ranked as the second-best running back in the league behind Devon Achane. His impact score was 90.4 and had a grade of A-. In addition, he was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year that year with 1459 rushing yards for 14 touchdowns in 272 attempts. He also added 564 yards and seven touchdowns in 67 receptions.
Ultimately, both teams are on two different trajectories, yet share the same goal. The 49ers remain as one of the top contenders in the NFL while trying to push themselves over the hump. Meanwhile, the Panthers are a young team with considerable talent that can be developed.
