The Carolina Panthers began to go through some drastic roster changes before the 2022 NFL trade deadline. One of their bold roster moves: RB Christian McCaffrey, their versatile and dynamic 1,000-yard threat as a running back and wide receiver, being sent to the San Francisco 49ers.
It’s time to revisit what the Panthers got out of the deal to send “Run CMC” to the Bay Area, plus how those picks have fared.
Looking Back at What the Panthers Received Out of Christian McCaffrey Trade
While the Panthers sent their All-Pro back to S.F., the 49ers made some strong sacrifices on their end — in the form of sending multiple draft picks to Charlotte.
The ‘Niners ended up sending their second-, third-, and fourth-round picks to Carolina through the 2023 NFL Draft to start. There’s also a 2024 pick involved. But here’s the aftermath of what transpired after the trade.
- Carolina ended up handing the 61st pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars by trading up to 39th. In the process, TE Brenton Strange was selected by the Jags, while Carolina took WR Jonathan Mingo at No. 39.
- The 93rd overall pick went to the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they took TE Darnell Washington. Carolina moved up to No. 80 to take EDGE D.J. Johnson out of Oregon.
- The No. 132 pick the Panthers held ended up going to the Steelers too, who selected EDGE Nick Herbig from Wisconsin. Carolina moved to No. 114 to take G Chandler Zavala from North Carolina State.
Long story short, the Panthers ended up giving away the selections the 49ers handed them. Currently, the future fifth-rounder from the 49ers is still in the Panthers’ possession, but Carolina relinquished the picks the ‘Niners handed them to move swiftly at players they were targeting.
Now, how have each player the Panthers added fared so far in 2023?
Did Carolina’s Picks Contribute Immediately?
The three players attached to the original 49ers deal walked into a much younger roster. Plus, they were heading to a team undergoing a regime change.
Mingo has seen extensive action. The former Ole Miss Rebel has started in all seven games, but he’s yet to catch more than five passes in a game. He recently was held to just one catch for five yards in the 27-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He has 20 catches for 200 yards and is yet to score his first touchdown.
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On defense, Johnson has seen five games of NFL action. He’s yet to surpass three tackles in a game, but he delivered one tackle for a loss in the 15-13 win over the Houston Texans.
Zavala, unfortunately, had a scary neck injury in the 42-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Oct. 8. He was eventually released from the hospital and returned home the following day.
How Has the Panthers’ Run Game Done Post-McCaffrey?
McCaffrey has resumed his Pro Bowl self in his new NFL surroundings. He earned his second Pro Bowl appearance with the 49ers after the trade.
But how has Carolina performed with its ground game post-McCaffrey?
Unfortunately, the Panthers haven’t been able to create the explosiveness McCaffrey was known for. Carolina is currently 24th in the NFL in rushing yards. RB Chuba Hubbard is the leading rusher with just 328 yards. Newcomer RB Miles Sanders from the Philadelphia Eagles has added 229 yards. Even QB Bryce Young, a dual-threat, has added 117 yards on the ground.
But no one else has more than 55 yards on the ground. Worst for Carolina, they’ve only produced two rush scores — placing them 30th overall.
The Panthers’ hope for improving their ground game on Thursday Night Football now has the league’s fourth-ranked run defense on the horizon in Chicago.
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