NINERS ACQUIRE BACK MCCAFFREY
The San Francisco 49ers acquired star running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers for a haul of draft picks.
The Panthers on Thursday night announced the deal that sends McCaffrey back to the Bay Area where he starred in college at Stanford. They said it will be finalized when McCaffrey passes physical.
The Panthers will receive picks in the second, third and fourth rounds of the 2023 draft, as well as a fifthrounder in 2024, according to a person familiar with the terms.
Carolina had been seeking a first-round pick, but San Francisco had already dealt its 2023 first-round pick in a deal to draft Trey Lance last year.
McCaffrey joins a talented group of playmakers in San Francisco with versatile receiver Deebo Samuel, star tight end George Kittle and receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
But the Niners (3-3) were not as strong at running back with starter Elijah Mitchell out with a knee injury. McCaffrey provides coach Kyle Shanahan with one of the best as both a runner and receiver, adding another element to San Francisco’s offense.
McCaffrey has a $990,000 salary this year after Carolina reworked his contract, making him an easy fit under the salary cap. He is owed about $36 million over the next three years, but none of that is guaranteed.
McCaffrey becomes the second skill position player to be traded this week by the Panthers (1-5) since coach Matt Rhule was fired on Oct. 10. Carolina sent wide receiver Robbie Anderson to the Cardinals on Monday for two future late-round draft picks.
The 26-year-old McCaffrey is considered one of the most versatile running backs in the league when healthy because of his ability as a runner, receiver and blocker.
He missed 23 games over the previous two seasons due to injuries, but has played in all six games this season and is fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage (607).
Prescott back in saddle
Dak Prescott fiddled with his surgically repaired right thumb while waiting just outside the view of cameras for young standout linebacker Micah Parsons to finish his session with reporters.
Then the star quarterback of the Cowboys said he was playing Sunday against the Lions, which would end a five-game absence since fracturing the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener.
Prescott didn’t want to overstate his eagerness to return, particularly since he’s just two years removed from the gruesome ankle injury that ended his 2020 season in Week 5.
“It’s about staying where my feet are,” Prescott said. “Just thankful I went out there and had a good practice. Just put my mind right where I am, and when I look up I’ll be prepared ready to go for Sunday.”
A few hours earlier, coach Mike McCarthy left little doubt of the return of Prescott, who said after a 2617 loss to Philadelphia last week that he expected to return against the Lions.
Prescott threw 40 passes during a scaled-back practice Wednesday coming off the prime-time loss to the Eagles with first place in the NFC East on the line.
“I thought he looked very good,” McCarthy said. “We’ll look to expand that (Thursday) and put him in the lead chair as far as reps just to give him the opportunity to prepare to play.”
Prescott joked that he threw 140 passes in a full practice Thursday, his way of saying he wasn’t on a pitch count with his throws.
“I wasn’t limited by any means,” Prescott said.
The loss to Philadelphia ended a four-game winning streak with backup Cooper Rush.
Notable
By all accounts public and private, Patriots QB Mac Jones is right on track. At the start of Thursday’s practice, he ran without limitation. He took under-center snaps with the starting offensive line. He dropped back and threw passes of all distances, always taking the first rep in positional drills. Jones was exactly where he should be. No surprise, Jones expects to be available for Monday night’s game against the Bears, per multiple reports.
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore has requested to be traded. Moore recently expressed frustration with his suddenly limited role. The Jets have no plans to trade him.