Trading veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings was a calculated gamble from Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan. Another unfortunate injury to Jalen Coker immediately brought this transaction under the microscope.
Coker was expected to fill slot responsibilities in Thielen's absence. However, the undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross suffered a strained quad and was on injured reserve, putting him on the shelf for the first four games, if not more.
The Panthers signed one-time Pro Bowler Hunter Renfrow to fill out the depth chart, giving the Clemson product more money to get him back onside after he didn't do enough to make the initial 53-man roster. That should help, but it seems like Thielen's presence will be sorely missed.
Jalen Coker's injury doesn't change why the Carolina Panthers traded Adam Thielen
Joe Person from The Athletic doesn't believe that should change anything from the Panthers' perspective. Morgan couldn't risk having an unhappy player on his hands. And the fact Thielen took a massive pay cut for his emotional homecoming is a telltale sign of how badly he wanted the switch.
"During an appearance on a Charlotte sports talk station later Thursday, [Dan] Morgan suggested he might have a “disgruntled” player in Thielen if he didn’t finalize the trade. Thielen, who received a raise in the offseason, told the Panthers he would take a pay cut in Minnesota to help get the trade done, according to a league source with knowledge of the talks. Thielen in fact agreed to cut his base salary by $2 million and remove $4 million in potential incentives, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported."Joe Person
Thielen wanted to move, which is understandable at this late stage of his playing career. The Panthers got what they felt was a good return after some tough negotiations. Some fans didn't like it, but it represented a win-win for all involved.
Had Coker's injury happened before the trade and not the day after, it could have altered Morgan's thought process. Nobody can see into the future, so chalk this down to yet more bad luck for the receiver and Carolina at the worst possible time.
Fortunately, the Panthers had a ready-made contingency plan in place with Renfrow. That should provide some comfort, but it piles even more pressure on Carolina's healthy wide receivers to step up and make plays with quarterback Bryce Young leading the charge.
If they cannot, and the Panthers end up starting the campaign on the back foot, it's not hard to see where the finger of blame will be pointed.