SANTA CLARA – Kyle Shanahan is “nonetheless up within the air” on whether or not to play Christian McCaffrey for his 49ers’ debut Sunday when the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, following Thursday evening’s deal for the previous Stanford and Carolina Panthers operating again.
McCaffrey, extra actually, was to be within the air Friday morning flying to the Bay Space. He'll endure a bodily examination to finish the commerce, with the 49ers transport a trio of 2023 draft picks (second, third, fourth spherical) and a 2024 fifth-rounder to Carolina.
Shanahan, talking Friday on KNBR 680-AM, is awaiting McCaffrey’s arrival earlier than discovering a spot for him in Sunday’s sport plan.
“It’s not a bodily problem. He’s been training all week on the market, so you understand he’s prepared that manner,” Shanahan mentioned. “However he’s not going to get a follow in with us, he’s by no means even seen the playbook, doesn’t know the phrases or something.
“However Christian is a naturally good soccer participant and picks issues up quick. We’ll see the way it goes within the subsequent 48 hours.”
Thursday evening, the 49ers (3-3) determined to not wait any longer earlier than the Nov. 1 commerce deadline and pulled the set off on one other midseason transfer. It adopted offers for Jimmy Garoppolo (2017), Emmanuel Sanders (2019), Jordan Willis (2020) and Charles Omenihu (2021).
Jaded by Sanders’ departure in 2020 free company, Shanahan affirmed that McCaffrey “is just not a rental” and that the 49ers have been enticed by his contract that runs by way of 2025.
Despite the fact that McCaffrey missed 23 of 33 video games in 2020-21, Shanahan mentioned he got here out of Stanford with the 49ers’ finest medical grade of any draft prospect on this regime’s six-year span. The 49ers handed on drafting him at No. 3 in 2017 and as a substitute took Stanford defensive sort out Solomon Thomas.
“I talked to him final evening and informed him this was our plan all alongside: We knew we'd have him six years later, so why take him then?” Shanahan mentioned in deadpan vogue.
Shanahan’s response to this newest commerce? “It was extra of an enormous smile after which like, ‘Alright, I’ve acquired to return and redo third downs, redo pink zone, redo all the things.’ ”
Shanahan famous he doesn't anticipate McCaffrey to take part in as we speak’s follow, which is slated to start at 12:18 p.m.
“Watching him this 12 months, he’s again to full well being and appears like the identical man popping out of faculty,” Shanahan added. “We’ve acquired a troublesome man who handles his physique proper in addition to anybody can. I put him on that Bosa-level, the best way he was raised and appears at all the things. It’s 100% dedication to being one of the best he may be, and he’s been doing that since he was in all probability 3 years previous.”
Common supervisor John Lynch dealt with the heavy lifting within the take care of Carolina and knowledgeable Shanahan in latest days that talks have been heating up for McCaffrey. Lynch’s counterpart in Carolina, Scott Fitterer, mentioned Friday: “There wasn’t a first-round decide available,” and that it was a two-team race for the Panthers’ prime participant, who drew his first provide Monday earlier than different groups acquired concerned Tuesday.