Even if McCaffrey plays well next season, the 49ers could struggle.
Bill Walsh used to say it’s better to get rid of a player a year too early rather than a year too late.
When it comes to Christian McCaffrey, it may already be too late to move him. He missed 13 games last season due to bilateral Achilles tendonitis and a torn PCL. In June, he’ll turn 29, and he’s one of the most expensive running backs in the NFL. The 49ers probably wouldn’t get much for him right now if they wanted to trade him.
But they don’t want to trade him. Not yet, at least. They just re-signed fullback Kyle Juszczyk and want to make one more run with their aging core of veterans.
And McCaffrey is a huge reason the 49ers hope they will contend next season. They just lost nine starters and replaced absolutely none of them with free agents. So they need McCaffrey to make all the difference in 2025.
But even if McCaffrey plays well next season, the 49ers could struggle. Their defense currently is decimated and could start four or five rookies depending on how their draft shakes out. Plus quarterback Brock Purdy is coming off a down season and could miss some or all of training camp if he holds out while he waits for a contract extension. The 49ers are notorious for taking a long time to finalize those big deals.
So if McCaffrey is playing well but the 49ers are not, don’t be surprised if they trade him midseason. Because realistically, the 49ers will not be Super Bowl contenders next season, and they know it. That’s why they’re taking on so much dead cap space this year.
They just hope to make the playoffs.