If someone wants the best player on the Carolina Panthers roster, then they’re going to have to pony up for him.
Despite their league-worst 1-5 record, the Panthers don’t seem too inclined to detonate what they currently have. That goes for wide receiver DJ Moore, defensive linemen Brian Burns and Derrick Brown and—most notably—running back Christian McCaffrey.
In his latest return of trade deadline buzz, ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler indicated that Carolina is, apparently, open to shipping away their star rusher. But, it would come at a steep price.
“People from those same teams say running back Christian McCaffrey is available, under the right terms,” Fowler reported on Tuesday. ‘They want a lot,’ a high-ranking AFC personnel man said. Think a first-round pick or more.”
It’s no surprise that the Panthers want the offers, particularly for their core players, to come to them. And that should certainly be the case for McCaffrey, who continues to prove how invaluable of a talent he is to this organization.
Albeit in a loss, the sixth-year back collected 158 of his team’s 203 total yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. He also went for game-highs in rushing yards (69), receiving yards (89) and receptions (seven).
McCaffrey may just be listed as a running back, a position that doesn’t warrant a ton of investment from the league nowadays. But for the Panthers, he’s much more than that—and they should treat his value accordingly.
