The San Francisco 49ers are no strangers to big moves, but Pro Football Focus suggested a wild one.
PFF’s John Kosko named star running back Christian McCaffrey as the 49ers’ top trade candidate heading into 2026, although he caveated that San Francisco likely wouldn’t move on from the three-time All-Pro playmaker.
It is highly unlikely the 49ers will move on from McCaffrey, but given multiple defensive needs and an aging offensive line, exploring a trade could be worth considering. McCaffrey remains one of the most dynamic backs in the NFL, but his career has been impacted by injuries, and he is entering his age-30 season — a point at which decline often begins for running backs.
Moving him now could allow San Francisco to maximize value while addressing key roster needs.
This would be a hard sell for a few reasons.
Advertisement
Firstly, McCaffrey is the heartbeat of Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He led the NFL with 413 touches and finished with 2,126 total yards and 17 total touchdowns.
Secondly, the 49ers likely wouldn’t get nearly the return they’d need to recoup the loss of him on offense. McCaffrey is getting older and has been injury-prone in the past. A team might not want to risk sending a lot of assets for that.
Finally, the 49ers are in a win-now window despite being in the competitive NFC West. McCaffrey is a major part of what they’re trying to do in 2026 and beyond.
A trade for McCaffrey might make sense if the 49ers’ future looked bleak, but the offseason moves indicate the team feels confident going into the season.
Advertisement
However, this assessment also means the 49ers don’t have much else to offer in terms of player trades at the moment. So if the season heads in a bad direction, they may not be able to move anyone for anything unless they were comfortable sending McCaffrey to another team.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: PFF names 49ers’ top offensive player as team’s best trade asset