This isn't such a bad idea.
The 49ers are rebuilding. It's going to be extremely difficult for them to compete for a Super Bowl this year. Most likely, they're building for next year.
ESPN's Ryan Clark thinks the 49ers should take their rebuild one step further.
"I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey," Clark said Wednesday morning on Get Up. "I would try to get as much as I could possibly get for him. If you look at what Kyle Shanahan has been able to do, it's run the football. And I know we thought that last year they missed his versatility, but when you trade Kyle Juszczyk, you let some of that versatility go.
"And so, why not change your entire philosophy from thinking about McCaffrey as this Swiss Army Knife, getting pieces for him and allowing guys like Ricky Pearsall to touch the football more, running the football more, doing different things on quick screens? Adding other players based on the assets that you could get for him?
"Also understanding you're looking for more available players than McCaffrey was last year. You had a good stretch with him, you made your run at the Super Bowl, you didn't get it. If you're going to rebuild, rebuild completely."
I agree with Clark. McCaffrey will turn 29 in June. Which means he'll be 30 when the 49ers are back in contention. That's old for a running back who has had injury issues for most of his career.
The 49ers ran the ball just fine without McCaffrey last season. Trade him now before his value drops more than it has in the past 12 months.
