The 2022 NFL season hasn’t been particularly kind to the running backs of the San Francisco 49ers. They lost JaMycal Hasty and Trey Sermon to the waiver wire before they could land on the practice squad, lost Elijah Mitchell to an MCL sprain in Week 1 that resulted in a trip to IR, and have since lost Tyrion Davis-Price, the team’s third-round pick out of LSU in 2022, to an ankle injury that has kept him out of action since Week 2.
Factor in the loss of Trey Lance, the team’s dynamically dual-threat Week 1 starting quarterback who was placed on IR with a season-ending ankle injury, and Kyle Shanahan’s historically dominant rushing attack has been forced to rely on Jeff Wilson Jr., who has played well but doesn’t have a reliable backup besides Tevin Coleman, who didn’t make his debut until Week 4.
Needless to say, some, like Heavy’s own Matt Lombardo, have linked the Niners to none other than Christian McCaffrey via trade, as the Carolina Panthers are reportedly willing to at least listen to offers on their All-Pro back. On paper, a pairing between the two parties makes a ton of sense, as McCaffrey is a running back who can impact the game as a receiver, and his offensive versatility would make for a perfect pair with Deebo Samuel, but one person who isn’t particularly into the idea of shipping the one-time Stanford Cardinal back to the Bay Area is none other than Peter King, who shot down the idea in an appearance on 95.7 The Game’s Damon & Ratto, as transcribed by NBC Sports Bay Area.
“I wouldn’t if I were [the 49ers],” King said. “I mean, the only way I would do it is if it didn’t cost very much and if they weren’t worried very much about the cap implications.”
“And you have to ask yourself if the Panthers are going to pick up a chunk of the money and you don’t have to worry about any of things like the workout bonus or the prorated bonus …. maybe you do it, but I wouldn’t do it for big compensation, that’s for sure.”
The Asking Price For McCaffrey In March Was Massive
Speaking on the topic of McCaffrey’s trade value back in March, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports detailed the fantastic asking price the Carolina Panthers were looking to recoup in exchange for their All-Pro back.
“Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey isn’t on the trading block, but the team has fielded more than one call for the former All-Pro back who’s dealt with several injuries since signing his record-breaking extension in 2020, multiple league sources told me during and after the NFL scouting combine,” McCaffrey wrote. “If a team wishes to add McCaffrey, I’m told the Panthers would be looking for a first-round pick plus another piece of compensation in order to ship one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the NFL today.”
As things presently stand, the 49ers do not have a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, as it belongs to the Miami Dolphins, so if Panthers GM Scott Fitterer hasn’t softened on his expected return, it looks like a trade might be off the table for John Lynch even excluding the obvious financial ramifications.
The San Francisco 49ers May Not Be Done With Marlon Mack
After signing with the 49ers practice squad on September 13th and being elevated to the active roster on September 20th, Marlon Mack has officially been waived on October 11th, 2022, after playing just five special teams snaps for Shanahan’s squad.
Unfortunate for Mack? Most definitely, San Francisco was his second team of the year, and Mack will now have to test the open market once more, but according to Tom Pelissero, an insider for NFL Network, he won’t have to look for this next opportunity for long, as the Niners are expected to bring him back on the practice squad.
Could that change? Sure, Mack was released from Houston’s practice squad in September and hasn’t exactly found a role in San Francisco, but still, even with Coleman’s emergence in Week 5, the Niners are wise to keep the former Indianapolis Colts’ rusher around before he can sign elsewhere.
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Peter King Shoots Down Proposed 49ers All-Pro Trade Target