Should Panthers trade Christian McCaffrey over poor stats?

Entering Week 6 of the 2022 season, the Carolina Panthers found themselves in a difficult situation. The team fired third-year coach Matt Rhule after recording four losses and only one win. The departure of running back Christian McCaffrey also looms over the team, with trade rumors ongoing in the background.

McCaffrey’s name has appeared in numerous trade rumors since his signing in 2017. The former fourth-rounder had been a crucial offensive backfield piece for the Panthers until 2019. Now, the 26-year-old’s time in Carolina might finally come to an end.

The player’s last playoff entry was back in 2017, and since 2020, he has been limited by injuries. He started and played in three games in 2020 after being ruled out for an entire season due to a shoulder injury. The RB was placed on the injured reserve list the following year but started in all seven games he played. This season, he started in all five games.

Panthers owner David Tepper was asked Monday whether the franchise was planning to place certain players on the trade list. Tepper did not mention any name in specific. Instead, he said the team needed to form a “culture of winning.” The statement came out the same day the Panthers fired Rhule.

“I think that we have to figure out how to get a culture of winning here, which we haven’t had in a long time in this place,” Tepper said. “As I said at some point, this team has never had two winning seasons. So I don’t really think it ever really had a culture of winning.”

Poor stats and salary obligations may hinder teams from acquiring McCaffrey. Per his $64 million contract extension in 2020, the RB will stay in Carolina through the 2025 season. Despite the Panthers lowering his base salary this year, the RB will still make a little over $12 million in 2025.

Still, even though McCaffrey’s cap charge in his future team has been taken care of by the Panthers, the player’s salary could be a turn-off for teams eyeing his trade.