Panthers' trade of superstar RB makes list of biggest blockbuster deals in NFL history
Super Bowl LXI may be the Los Angeles Rams‘ to lose.
Already one of the favorites to win it all this upcoming season, the Rams got much scarier this week—as they acquired two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in a massive swap with the Cleveland Browns. The daring deal may have put Los Angeles head and shoulders above the field and instantly went down as one of the biggest trades in NFL history.
So, just how big is it? According to Kristopher Knox at Bleacher Report, it ranks fifth all-time.
That list also features the Carolina Panthers, whose trade of superstar running back Christian McCaffrey came in at No. 10 on the countdown. Knox writes:
At the time, McCaffrey was coming off back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, but he was also a former NFL rushing champion and still just 26 years old. San Francisco avoided sending out a first-round pick but still gave up four draft picks to acquire him. Of course, the fact that McCaffrey was dealt in-season made this more of a headline-grabber than the trade value—or the fact that a struggling Panthers team was willing to part with its biggest star.
The Niners haven’t won a Super Bowl since trading for McCaffrey, but they’ve come awfully close and remain one of the toughest contenders in the league. McCaffrey has thrived as well out west—having earned a pair of first-team All-Pro nods, three Pro Bowl selections, the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year award and the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year award.
Carolina, over much of that time, felt McCaffrey’s loss. But at least things are looking up following an exciting campaign that produced the organization’s first NFC South title in a decade.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers’ trade of star RB listed amongst NFL’s biggest blockbusters
