The San Francisco 49ers had a noticeably quiet trade deadline, but All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey isn’t too worried about the lack of deals.
McCaffrey expressed faith in the Niners’ front office like general manager John Lynch and others after they stood pat at the deadline Tuesday.
San Francisco (6-3) has played over its head amid a dumbfounding number of injuries, especially for the team’s offense. Yet, McCaffrey has played like an MVP candidate — or at least an NFL Offensive Player of the Year candidate, an award he won in 2023.
The Niners have already matched their 2024 win total and can surpass it when they host the Los Angeles Rams (6-2) on Sunday in a crucial game for both teams.
Christian McCaffrey ‘Doesn’t Focus On’ The Niners’ Front Office Decisions
The 49ers brass changed McCaffrey’s life when they traded a second- and third-round draft pick to the Carolina Panthers at the 2022 trade deadline.
Lynch has, historically, been aggressive at the deadline. But he stood pat, which could have been deemed a snub to players like McCaffrey who have performed so valiantly to keep San Francisco afloat.
But McCaffrey didn’t see things that way.
“I personally don’t look at that stuff,” McCaffrey said. “Those guys, they’re hired for a reason. They have a job to do, and they’re obviously really good at it.
“For me, I don’t really focus on that stuff.”
Lynch was successful in landing backup quarterback Mac Jones, who has filled in for franchise quarterback Brock Purdy and gone 5-2. The Niners also brought in wideouts like Kendrick Bourne (30 receptions, 463 yards) and Demarcus Robinson (8 catches, 108 yards) who have filled in admirably for injured wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall.
“The guys that you go out and play with are the guys you feel confident playing with,” McCaffrey said. “I think everybody on this team can play, and I’m fired up about our team and where we’re at. We just got to keep going.”
Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall Could Be The Niners’ ‘Trade Deadline Deals’
If you listen to players from other sports, they often dub injured player returns as trade-deadline acquisitions, and the 49ers could view their star-caliber players’ return as such.
So Aiyuk, whose 21-day window to return from the physically unable to perform list has not been opened as he tries to recover from a torn ACL and MCL from last year, would be a blockbuster upgrade to a wide-receiver room that has amassed just 89 receptions through nine games this season — including Pearsall’s 20 catches, which is third on the team, despite his five missed games.
McCaffrey himself has 61 catches, which leads the team. But McCaffrey’s dominant pass catching has come mostly with Jones at quarterback, since Purdy has only played two games this year while dealing with turf toe.
But the Niners are also holding out Purdy, who has missed the past five games but could start Sunday against the Rams.
Almost no team in NFL history — especially this season — has acquired a starting quarterback and No. 1 wideout at the deadline. But the Niners are effectively about to, which could put them in the mix in the wide-open NFC.
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