SANTA CLARA -- When 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch traded for Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey on Thursday night, they knew the deal came with a hefty price tag.
But while the bevy of draft picks San Francisco gave up for the running back is seen by some as risky, especially given McCaffrey’s injury history and his high salary set to kick in next year, everything about the newest 49er told Lynch and Shanahan to bet on him.
“I view everything we do as a gamble. I view making trades as a gamble, I view not making trades as a gamble,” Shanahan said Friday. “It all depends if you can tell what’s going to happen in the future. I mean, if we would’ve got a guy as good as Christian with that second-round pick, third-round pick and fourth-round pick, and fifth-round pick the following year, I’d say, ‘Man, what are we doing?’
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“But we’re not going to know who we would have taken. With every really good pick there’s also not a good one. What I do like doing is knowing that you’re getting the right type of football player who is extremely talented, who is wired the right way.”
Shanahan praised not only McCaffrey’s physical attributes when it comes to his rushing, pass-catching and blocking contributions, but also his mental fortitude, noting the 26-year-old “can handle a lot.”
That likely was a nod to how the All-Pro has persevered when sidelined by injuries over the years. And when it comes to how seriously McCaffrey takes his job, Shanahan compared him to 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, who has the treatment of his body down to a science.
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These are all things Lynch also believes justified what the 49ers gave up to go out and get McCaffrey. But still, it’s never an easy decision when it comes to surrendering major draft capital.
“There may be a belief that some people don’t value picks; we certainly value our picks and I think that’s why we could entertain doing something like this,” Lynch said Friday. “... It’s really hard to part with draft picks because I like our process and I like our ability to identify people that fit with us, but when you have an opportunity to get a player like this, that’s what we had to challenge ourselves with.
“And we did, and ultimately, we said let’s try to make it happen, and we did.”
It’s evident that what San Francisco got in return for those picks is more than simply another dual-threat target to pair with the likes of Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, thanks to abilities that extend beyond the field.
But those physical capabilities definitely don’t hurt.
“I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do,” Shanahan said. “Whether it’s the run game, pass game, blocking. I think he’s a very talented player, and just watching how he plays, he’s a very smart player.”
McCaffrey touched down in the Bay Area on Friday and, after passing his physical, was already out on the practice field behind Levi’s Stadium with his new team.
The running back “checks all the boxes,” Lynch said, and is someone the GM respects, though he did respond to questions about McCaffrey’s injury history.
During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, McCaffrey appeared in just 10 games total as he dealt with a number of ailments all over his body.
But the 49ers were inspired by what they’ve seen from McCaffrey this season, as he seems to finally have a grasp on a clean bill of health and ranks 13th among all NFL running backs in rushing yards, not to mention his productivity as a receiver.
“I’ve been there in my own career, started off and struggled to stay on the field then went eight, nine years without missing a game,” Lynch said. “So sometimes there’s those ebbs and flows. You can never have complete certainty on that, that’s out of our control, but you try to make the best decision you can.
“He has played a lot of football this year and has played really good football.”
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So, a gamble? Yes. But with an athlete like McCaffrey, who boasts all of the intangibles important to the 49ers along with dynamic abilities, it’s one Shanahan and Lynch have a clear conscience making.
“Everything you do in this business is a gamble,” Shanahan said. “But if you’re going to gamble, first of all, do it with talent. And I want to do it with character, football character, and I see that very strongly with this guy.”