“I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey” - Ryan Clark proposes galactic move for Kyle Shanahan amid 49ers’ mass exodus in free agency

A former Pro Bowl safety believes the San Francisco 49ers should start a complete rebuild by trading their biggest offensive weapon. On Wednesday’s edition of "Get Up," Ryan Clark discussed what the team should do with Christian McCaffrey.

"I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey, and I would try to get as much as I could possibly get for him," Clark said. "When you look at what Kyle Shanahan has been able to do it’s run the football."

The 2023 Offensive Player of the Year would be the second 49er running back to leave if a trade materializes after the team announced on Tuesday that it was releasing Kyle Juszczyk. Last season, San Francisco missed the playoffs, finishing 6-11, one campaign after going to the Super Bowl. The team was 12th in the league in team rushing in 2024, averaging 127.2 yards per game and was in the top 10 in that category in its previous three seasons.

"Why not change your entire philosophy from thinking about Christian McCaffrey as this Swiss army knife, getting pieces for him and allowing guys like Ricky Pearsall to touch the football more," Clark said on Wednesday (0:24), via 'Get Up.'

After leading the league in rushing in 2023 (1,459 yards), McCaffrey missed a lot of action last season, hurting his calf and Achilles during the preseason and suffering a posterior cruciate ligament injury in December. He played just four games, rushing for 202 yards.

Pearsall had just three carries out of the backfield in 2024 for 45 yards while also making 31 receptions for 400 yards.

In June, McCaffrey signed a two-year extension with San Francisco for $38 million, making him the highest-paid running back in the NFL.

What the Niners could get for McCaffrey?

The 49ers gave up a lot in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in October 2022 to get Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco sent the Panthers a second, third and fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft and a fifth-round pick in 2024.

McCaffrey is averaging over 4.0 yards per carry and has had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage five times in his NFL career.

The 49ers should get something similar to what they gave up for McCaffrey, given his versatility in the pass-catching department and out of the backfield. He averages over eight yards per catch. McCaffrey is also a three-time Pro Bowl player and a three-time first-team All-Pro.

The 49ers have the 11th overall pick in April’s NFL draft.