Amid another season-ending injury, Christian McCaffrey's future with the Carolina Panthers doesn't appear to be in jeopardy. 

Per The Athletic's Joseph Person, the Panthers have "no plans to trade" McCaffrey this offseason. 

The Panthers announced on Monday that McCaffrey was placed on season-ending injured reserve because of lingering issues from an ankle injury he suffered in the 33-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

This marks the second major injury for McCaffrey this season. He missed five games after suffering a strained hamstring in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. 

When McCaffrey was able to play, he performed at a high level for the Panthers. He averaged 112.1 yards from scrimmage per game. His 37 receptions and 343 receiving yards rank second on the team, despite missing five games thus far. 

Durability has been an issue for McCaffrey over the past two seasons. The 2019 All-Pro suffered an ankle sprain in Week 2 of the 2020 campaign that kept him out for six games. 

Upon returning in Week 9, McCaffrey suffered a shoulder injury that ended his season. He is in the second year of a four-year, $64 million contract extension signed in April 2020. 

Per Spotrac, McCaffrey has an $8.4 million base salary in 2022. 

McCaffrey was one of the most dominant offensive players in the NFL from 2018-19. He had at least 200 rushing attempts and 100 receptions in both seasons. The 25-year-old led the league with 403 touches, 2,392 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns in 2019. 

Given all of the question marks for the Panthers beyond this season, including at quarterback where Cam Newton was brought back to replace the injured Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker's struggles, McCaffrey remains an essential player for the franchise moving forward. 

As long as McCaffrey can stay healthy, his ability as a running back and receiver will be crucial if the Panthers hope to compete for a playoff spot in 2022.