On Wednesday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, the crew constructed the path to Christian McCaffrey landing with the Patriots.

• It's all possible because you're not paying the QB

  Beetle: By the way, he’s (Christian McCaffrey) 26 years old. He’s not very old. I know he’s had an injury and he’s back now, but he’s not old. Base salary next year, $11.8 MM. Same in ’24 and then $12 MM in ’25.

  Zo: You’re not paying them that. See the problem is you have no replacement for James White right now. You have no third-down back. You have no third-down back offense. You don’t have that scat back. You don’t have that guy, that stout that could blitz pick up and, you know, sort of run those little man to man shake routes.

  Beetle: From what I see in this deal, it’d be easy to cut him for year three of that. Of those next three years, you could get through the next two years and then cut him. And there’s not a big penalty for doing so.

  Zo: The only way you could still do is because you’re still not paying the quarterback.

  Beetle: Right? That’s the point.

  Zo: Take advantage.

  Beetle: So how much is Nelson Agholor on the books for this year?

  Zo: I get it.

  Beetle: Next year it’ll be Christian McCaffrey.

  Zo: I’d rather have McCaffrey than him.

  Beetle: Oh, would you? Oh really? So that’s how I think you can look at it and find a way that it does make sense.

• Listen to the full conversation

• Earlier this week, rumors of the Panthers currently shopping McCaffrey were shutdown

  The #Panthers haven't had trade talks about Christian McCaffrey with the #Bills or any other team this season, per sources. Carolina already paid most of his $8.6M salary in a bonus. Every team will be working the phones the next few weeks, but nothing in the works with CMC.

  — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 10, 2022

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