With less than two weeks to go until the NFL trade deadline, the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers made the first big trade of the season. Star running back Christian McCaffrey was sent to the 49ers, with Carolina receiving second-, third- and fourth-round draft picks in 2023, as well as a fifth-round selection in 2024.
The capital given up by San Francisco to acquire a talented but oft-injured running back can be questioned. What can not, is that the move is a good one for a team not even involved in it: the New England Patriots.