The 49ers made a blockbuster trade for former Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey at the 2022 trade deadline. More than three years later, coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch should feel even better about the deal than they did at the time it was made.
There's no reason for AllSportsPeople to grade that trade again, because the highest and most appropriate mark was given. While many dinged the 49ers for giving four draft picks for McCaffrey, SN gave San Francisco an A+, with Carolina getting a D- for moving the face of its franchise.
The 49ers have gone 34-14, including playoffs, since acquiring McCaffrey. The Panthers have also been the opposite there at 19-37 since trading McCaffrey.
Here's breaking down just how great the CMC trade was for the 49ers:
Christian McCaffrey stats: 49ers vs. Panthers
| Statistic | 49ers since 2022 | Panthers 2017-2022 |
| Games (including playoffs) | 48 | 65 |
| Rushing attempts | 773 | 872 |
| Rushing yards | 3,620 | 3,996 |
| Rushing yards per carry | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Rushing yards per game | 75.4 | 61.4 |
| Receptions | 239 | 396 |
| Receiving yards | 2,119 | 3,393 |
| Yards per reception | 8.9 | 8.6 |
| Receiving yards per game | 44.1 | 52.2 |
| Total scrimmage yards | 5,739 | 7,389 |
| Scrimmage yards per game | 119.5 | 113.7 |
| Total touchdowns | 50 | 51 |
The numbers show that McCaffrey has been more productive and efficient overall as a 49er while handling more volume in the running game. He also has been a much more prolific overall scorer, averaging almost a TD per game. As much as San Francisco has leaned on McCaffrey, it's even more than Carolina did. His durability and availability has been better by the Bay, too.
McCaffrey played in 64 of the Panthers' 98 games (65.3 percent) when he was on the team. He has played in 48 of the 49ers' 61 games since acquired on Oct. 20, 2022, so far (78.7 percent), with only most of 2024 wiped out by injuries.
Christian McCaffrey trade: What Panthers got from 49ers draft picks
The 49ers were criticized for sending four draft picks to Carolina to get McCaffrey, but it was key they avoided giving up a first-rounder. Here's the total initial compensation:
- 2023 second-round draft pick
- 2023 third-round draft pick
- 2023 fourth-round draft pick
- 2024 fifth-round draft pick
Let's start by following the 2023 picks. The second-rounder, No. 61 overall, was dealt, along with wide receiver D.J. Moore, a 2023 first-rounder, a 2024 first-rounder and a 2024 second-rounder to move up to No. 1 overall for quarterback Bryce Young.
Both the 2023 third-round pick (No. 93 overall) and fourth-round pick (No. 132 overall) were traded to the Steelers so the Panthers could move up to No. 80 overall. That was used on backup linebacker D.J. Johnson, whom Carolina released on Sept. 30 of this year.
The 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 166 overall) was traded to the Giants along with edge rusher Brian Burns. Who has a NFC-high 13 sacks for New York this season.
That led the Panthers to getting a 2024 third-round pick (No. 39 overall) and a different fifth-round pick (No. 141 overall). No. 39 was traded to the Rams for No. 52 and No. 155 that year, plus a 2025 second-round pick. No. 141 and No. 33 went to the Bills to acquire No. 200 and No. 32 in '24.
No. 52 and No. 155 were traded to the Colts, along with No. 142, for No. 46, a second-round pick in '24. That was wasted on injured running back Jonathon Brooks. No. 32 in '24 helped the Panthers land wide receiver Xavier Legette. With No. 200, the Panthers took defensive lineman Jaden Crumedy.
The Panthers, in 2025, traded that second-rounder (No. 57) from the Rams, to the Broncos, along with No. 74, No. 111 and No. 230, for No. 51, No. 85, No. 122 and No. 208.
With No. 51, the Panthers took edge rusher Nik Scourton. The Panthers traded No. 85, along with No. 146, for No. 77 overall, with which they took edge rusher Princely Umanmielen. No. 122 was used on safety Lathan Ransom. Finally, at No. 208 overall,the Panthers drafted wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr.
The Panthers then ended up giving up McCaffrey, Moore and Burns for Young, Johnson, Brooks, Legette, Crumedy, Scourton, Umanmielen, Ransom and Horn. That's giving up great quality for meh quantity, with Young, Legette and Scourton as the only current starters from that group.
San Francisco saw the chance to get the ideal running back for its offensive system under Shanahan in his prime and Lynch made a shrewd move to acquire him. Short recent history shows the 49ers didn't really give up much to get CMC's dynamic offensive impact.
McCaffrey won his first rushing title and first Offensive Player of the Year award in the short time since he became a 49er. He also was key in that 2023 season helping them get to Super Bowl 58 and push the Chiefs to the brink in overtime.
Had he stayed with the Panthers while rebuilding (again), here's guaranteeing McCaffrey wouldn't have had the same individual success and come close to his current team's accolades. The 49ers' fleecing of the Panthers was golden and McCafrey will be a rough reminder of that in prime time.