The Carolina Panthers probably will get plenty of calls from rival general managers over the next few weeks as the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline approaches.
Carolina is in shambles right now.
The franchise has a 1-4 record through five games and just fired head coach Matt Rhule in the middle of his third season on the job. The situation could get even worse in the short term because the Panthers' next two opponents are the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Perry: Why Patriots should explore a Christian McCaffrey trade
Could the Panthers move a couple of their best players before the trade deadline in an effort to stockpile draft picks for a rebuild? And what does the future hold for star running back Christian McCaffrey?
The Athletic's Jeff Howe, citing sources, reported Tuesday that "The Panthers aren’t actively trying to trade running back Christian McCaffrey." Howe added that the Buffalo Bills "didn’t call the Panthers about McCaffrey on Monday, the sources said, refuting an earlier report."
McCaffrey is arguably the league's best running back when healthy. Staying healthy and able to play on a consistent basis has been an enormous challenge for the Stanford product. McCaffrey has played in just 26 of the Panthers' 49 regular season games over the last three years. He's played in all five games this season, though, racking up 388 rushing yards and two touchdowns, plus 26 receptions for 188 receiving yards and another touchdown.
There are plenty of teams with playoff aspirations that could use a running back of McCaffrey's caliber. The aforementioned Bills are one. The New England Patriots are another, especially after Tuesday's report that running back Damien Harris is likely to miss multiple games because of a hamstring injury.
McCaffrey is signed through 2025, so there's no danger of him being able to leave as a free agent after this season. But the Panthers would be wise to at least listen to any offers for McCaffrey that come in.
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It could be a while before the Panthers are a contender in the NFC again, and it's quite possible that McCaffrey's prime ends before that turnaround in Carolina is complete.