Theo Sfikas
On Friday, after a six-year-long run with the Carolina Panthers, running-back Christian McCaffrey went from coast to coast in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Due to McCaffrey being such an elite player, it comes as no surprise that he has sparked interest from other teams in the NFL. However, it may shock some to find that the football star has only been traded for a few second-day draft picks. Although the trade seems unfair, it was a necessary decision.
The Panthers organization is currently in shambles and is, without a doubt, among the worst teams in the NFL. The team’s quarterback, Baker Mayfield, is too worried about making commercials to notice the fact that, as of week seven, he has only completed four touchdown passes with another four interceptions thrown into the mix. That’s also why PJ Walker, the team’s second string quarterback, has secured the start in week eight against the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers’ wide-receiver one, DJ Moore, has amassed a grand total of two touchdowns this season. Even with their upset against Grandpa Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there is no silver lining in sight for the team. With a two and five record, it comes as no surprise that the Panthers’ management decided to figuratively hit the reset button.
Getting rid of McCaffrey allows for an additional 48 million dollars worth of cap space to be used to better benefit the team. The 16 million dollars he received annually from the team also happened to make McCaffrey the highest paid running-back in NFL history. With Chubba Hubbard as the Panthers’ number one running back, it would be great to see the team look for a short-term replacement for McCaffrey, or even strengthen their wide receiver core that currently consists solely of an average, at best, DJ Moore. If used correctly, this may allow the team to clinch a playoff berth sometime in the next coming years, which will mark the first time since the 2017 season.
Commenti