The Panthers’ phone is reportedly ringing off the hook with trade calls about running back Christian McCaffrey.
According to CBS Sports, Carolina has “fielded more than one call” for McCaffrey, who’s missed 23 games over the last two seasons with multiple injuries.
The Panthers reportedly would require a first-round draft pick and “another piece of compensation” to move forward with any deal for the former All-Pro. Carolina currently has zero second-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer said in January that the team had “no intentions right now” of trading McCaffrey. At the time, Fitterer did say that he would take “any call” to hear what other teams might offer.
“I look at Christian as a foundation piece of this team, one of those building blocks. We’re a better team when he’s on the field,” Fitterer said in January. “He’s one of the elite players in the NFL. I would love for him to be here, but I will never not take a call. If somebody calls and offers something crazy, yeah, you would look at it.”
Before the 2020 season, McCaffrey signed a $64 million contract extension through 2025 — making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
That came after McCaffrey became only the third player in league history to record 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season in 2019.
McCaffrey, though, has dealt with ankle, hamstring, and shoulder injuries over the last two seasons that have limited him to just 10 games since he signed his extension.
More recently, he suffered an ankle injury in a Week 12 loss to Miami and did not play the remainder of this past season.
McCaffrey, who turns 26 in June, recorded 785 yards from scrimmage on 136 touches with a pair of touchdowns in 2021.
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