Don’t expect the Buffalo Bills to trade for Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey.
At least, not yet.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the two teams have not had discussions about the running back’s availability. Not only that, Carolina hasn’t with anybody.
The idea of McCaffrey leaving the Panthers and heading to the Bills was fueled by Matt Rhule. Carolina’s head coach was fired on Monday.
Did the Panthers trade talks with Christian McCaffrey?
“The #Panthers haven’t had trade talks about Christian McCaffrey with the #Bills or any other team this season, per sources,” Pelissero tweeted. “Carolina already paid most of his $8.6M salary in a bonus. Every team will be working the phones the next few weeks, but nothing in the works with CMC.”
Will the Bills trade for McCaffrey happen?
Though McCaffrey remains in Carolina as of Tuesday-as the Pro Bowler is two years removed from signing a four-year, $64 million contract extension-some members of the Bills brass have ties to the running back, making for a potentially sweet reunion should a trade come to fruition.
Will the Panthers undermine McCaffrey’s relationship with the Bills?
The Panthers obviously won’t want to undermine their relationship with McCaffrey prematurely. The Bills may not want to make waves in their own locker room, if for some reason it doesn’t happen.
Is the Buffalo Bills a potential suitor for McCaffrey?
That isn’t cheap for a player who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. On the other hand, Buffalo’s window is right now. That makes them an intriguing potential suitor for McCaffrey, even if talks haven’t materialized to this point.
And naturally, the Bills successfully did a good job running the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in their latest game However, the rushing the ball has been a problem for Buffalo for more than this season.
McCaffrey would certainly be an intriguing option nonetheless.
He has dealt with injury issues in recent years, but still has a promising track record and the Bills are plenty familiar with him.
While the Panthers took McCaffrey with a first-round pick at the 2017 NFL draft, McDermott’s first year at the helm of the Bills, the key is Brandon Beane. Buffalo did not hire him as general manager until after the year’s draft, so he did plenty of work scouting McCaffrey.
Bills Wire will continue to provide updates on all-things trade ahead of the 2022 NFL deadline on Nov. 1.