:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71525001/1228643562.0.jpg "What does Christian McCaffrey trade mean for Panthers-Bucs odds in Week 7?")
The Carolina Panthers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, and this game has taken a significant shift in the span of a few days. Four days removed from trading Robbie Anderson to the Cardinals, Carolina has traded running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers for multiple draft picks.
As soon as the Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule, rumors started percolating about who was available. The team tried to push back that they were not going to conduct a fire sale, but the offers are starting to add up. The 49ers offered up second, third, and fourth round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that was enough to get it done.
The Panthers now host a Bucs squad that is struggling with consistency, but is still quite talented. A week ago, the lookahead line opened at Bucs -9.5 and moved to Bucs -10 on Sunday night. The line climbed to 11 and after the McCaffrey trade, it has jumped two points to Bucs -13 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Big line movement usually revolves around a quarterback issue. As running backs have lost perceived value, they have been less inclined to move the point spread in a big way. This suggests just how big a piece of the Panthers offense McCaffrey is. They're going to be sizable underdogs for virtually every remaining game on their schedule.