Nov 3, 2019; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey (22) carries the ball for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

It was a rough 2021 NFL season for Carolina Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey (seen above in a 2019 game) injured his ankle in a Week 12 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, ultimately putting an end to his season.

McCaffrey has been one of, if not the best, running backs in the league when healthy, but has only played in 10 games in the past two seasons due to injuries.

There have been rumors surfacing the past couple of weeks that the Panthers could be looking to move McCaffrey to cash in on the potential value that he has left in a trade. Reports Tuesday indicated that the Panthers are not actively looking to trade McCaffrey, but have received multiple calls about the star running back.

While trading him may not be at the front of their minds, they are also reportedly listening to these offers and would consider a trade if it involved a first-round pick and another player without a big salary-cap number.

It seems that the Panthers have a clear asking price for McCaffrey. And that got the NFL world talking, with many speculating what their team would look like with McCaffrey as their running back.

A first-round pick for someone of McCaffrey’s skill set is not outlandish. But the determining factor is whether or not teams believe that the injuries and heavy workload that he has received in the NFL to this point are adding up on his body.

If he can stay healthy, he can certainly make a team a real contender if they have the roster built outside of the running back position.

[David Newton; photo from Jeremy Brevard/USA Today Sports]

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.