Christian McCaffrey has a long flight ahead of him.
That's because the now-former Panthers running back is heading back to the West Coast. The 49ers acquired the star in a trade late Thursday night, pending a physical.
McCaffrey made his name in California. As a running back at Stanford, he was a Heisman Trophy finalist. He holds the FBS record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,864 in 2015. He was drafted in the first round in 2017 by the Panthers, where he had spent his entire career.
Now, he heads a short distance from Stanford — after about a six-hour plane ride from Charlotte — to don the Niners' gold and red.
CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY TRADED TO 49ERS:
- Trade grades: Niners strike gold
- Panthers get the rebuild going with CMC trade
- Will McCaffrey play in Week 7 vs. the Chiefs?
- Niners aren't taking a big financial gamble
- Who's the next man up in the Panthers' backfield?
Christian McCaffrey trade details
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the 49ers paid a hefty price to acquire the star running back:
- 49ers receive: RB Christian McCaffrey
- Panthers receive: 2023 second-round pick, 2023 third-round pick, 2023 fourth-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick
Rapoport also reports that the Bills, who were rumored to be interested in McCaffrey, were not involved in trade talks. The Rams were also making a push for McCaffrey, but their NFC West rivals wound up with him.
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The 49ers are also inheriting McCaffrey's contract, but it's only worth $1 million in 2022, with next year's salary jumping up to $11.8 million.
The move reinforces San Francisco's run-first offense and adds depth to a backfield that features the oft-injured Elijah Mitchell (recovering from injury), Jeff Wilson and Tevin Coleman.
If McCaffrey can stay healthy, that's about as good a reinforcement as a team can get.
