ESPN delivers verdict on Panthers-49ers megadeal for Christian McCaffrey

ESPN details how Carolina's second-biggest trade in recent years was lopsided in favor of the team that got the superstar.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 09: Christian McCaffrey #22 of the Carolina Panthers fights off defenders of the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of the game at Bank of America Stadium on October 09, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. | (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)

Perhaps the most frustrating part of the Carolina Panthers' seven-year run of losing seasons has been the number of star players they have either traded or allowed to leave in free agency.

That list is long, but the biggest name on it is superstar running back Christian McCaffrey, who was dealt to the San Francisco 49ers a little over three years ago.

It wasn't hard to see immediately that the Niners got the better of the deal, and everything we've seen since from both teams indicates that was true. Here's David Newton at ESPN breaking down how the 49ers won the trade in a landslide.

ESPN on Christian McCaffrey trade

"McCaffrey went on to lead the NFL in rushing in 2023 and win Offensive Player of the Year, and he helped San Francisco reach Super Bowl LVIII. This season, the 29-year-old leads the NFL in scrimmage yards... It didn't do any good,'' a league source familiar with the trade discussions said. "It's still a shame [they] didn't get at least one first-round pick for him.''

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) looks on in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

While it's fair to point out that Carolina got a pretty good haul of draft capital in return - they haven't yet proven that they can turn those picks into quality players. Their 2025 rookie class is a great step in the right direction - but it's also the first since 2017.

Meanwhile, the 49ers made two deep playoff runs in a row after adding McCaffrey - and only a slew of injuries has slowed them over the last season and a half. McCaffrey certainly appears to be back to performing at a high level.

The lesson is when you find a true star at any position in his prime you don't get rid of him unless you're getting a sure thing in return. Hopefully the Panthers remember that lesson when it comes time to try to keep Rico Dowdle.

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