From 2019 to 2021, the San Francisco 49ers were already one of the NFL’s most talented teams, but they were perhaps lacking that final piece or two to help get them over the hump.
In the 2022 season, they discovered that Brock Purdy, the last player chosen in that year’s draft, had what it took to become a legitimate franchise quarterback, but it was another midseason move that truly raised their ceiling.
In October, they traded for star running back Christian McCaffrey, and he has totally transformed head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense ever since.
In fact, since then, he has been the NFL’s only running back with grades of over 90 in both rushing and receiving from Pro Football Focus.
When the 49ers landed McCaffrey, their running game was very anemic, and it had impacted their passing game by making their overall offense look predictable.
But McCaffrey has added a big element of unpredictability, as he is not only a prolific rusher but also a capable pass-catcher.
Many pass-catching running backs in the NFL are limited to working off of screen passes, but McCaffrey can actually line up as a wide receiver and run routes when needed.
Last season, he ran for a league-high 1,459 yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns while adding 564 yards and seven touchdowns on 67 receptions, earning him the Offensive Player of the Year award.
This year, San Francisco gave McCaffrey a two-year contract extension that will run through the 2027 season, so one should expect him to stay in the Bay for a while.
