The San Francisco 49ers have been in constant flux this entire offseason. After ending their 2023-2024 season in heartbreaking fashion in overtime at the Super Bowl, an injury-riddled season derailed the 2024-2025 campaign as they won a total of six games. This offseason, they’ve been hard at work to rebuild the roster.
Keeping in mind the potential upcoming extension for Brock Purdy, San Francisco has made a clear decision to move off of large-scale contracts. So far, that has resulted in losses on both the offensive and defensive end. But, one analyst argues, could their summer also include moving on from former MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey?
Christian McCaffrey Draft Day Trade?
After a spectacular start to his career, McCaffrey became a major injury risk, suiting up for just 10 total games over his final two years in Carolina. As a result, when he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, questions about his health were rampant.
But, he put up back-to-back incredible seasons, reaching the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl in consecutive years, even earning MVP buzz in 2023. However, his momentum came to a stifling halt in 2024, when injuries allowed him to suit up for just four games.
When healthy, McCaffrey is at worst one of the three best running backs in the league today. But, with concerns about his injury history mounting, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated at least entertained the idea of a deal happening.
Answering a fan question about the potential situation, Breer’s stance was crystal clear. “If there was a suitor willing to give up big capital, I might actually say yes.” However, there were two things that could stop it from being a reality.
“But given that Christian McCaffrey’s already gotten his $14.245 million roster bonus for 2025, which you can’t run the clock back on (that was earned on April 1), and that he’s coming off an injury-riddled season, it seems like there’s almost no scenario where the Niners would entertain trading him and then get value that would make it worth walking from one of the best players on their roster.”
That still leaves the door open for one possibility, though. “Now, if the question is whether you use this year’s draft to start your exit strategy, with plans to move on from the star tailback after 2025 (his ninth NFL season), then that’s something I could see happening.”
However, that could come down to how McCaffrey performs next season. “But making any sort of final judgment on that is tough to do until we see how he looks this fall after turning 29 in June.” Still, on the right side of 30, the 49ers could reasonably expect to get a couple of excellent years out of him.
And, with Purdy’s extension a pending budget killer, having the safety valve of McCaffrey is certainly a luxury San Francisco would not like to part with.