When the Minnesota Vikings called the Carolina Panthers about a potential trade for wide receiver Adam Thielen, it didn't take a nuclear physicist to figure out what would come next.
And recent video footage from the NFC North club confirmed what Panthers fans already knew.
Thielen has deep roots in Minnesota. He hails from Detroit Lakes and dazzled at Minnesota State before going undrafted. His home-state team gave him a chance, and the wideout seized it with both hands en route to a prolific NFL career against all odds.
Financial implications made Thielen surplus to requirements in 2023. The Panthers believed he had a lot of good football left, and he repaid their faith with outstanding on-field production and exceptional locker room leadership throughout his two years with the franchise.
Adam Thielen's desire to join Vikings was eventually granted by Carolina Panthers
The two-time Pro Bowler was coaxed away from retirement this offseason, which was thanks in no small part to quarterback Bryce Young's resurgence. All signs pointed to Thielen seeing out his career in Carolina, but this was an exceptional circumstance.
It gives Thielen a chance to end his NFL journey where it began. His loved one returned to their family home. And for the Panthers, they got acceptable draft compensation to remove their most consistent pass-catcher from the equation.
The Vikings recently released footage that, in part, documented Thielen's whirlwind return to the organization. And any Panthers fan in doubt about how much the player wanted this move should have crystal clear clarity now.
Nobody would begrudge Thielen this opportunity. He gave a lot to the Panthers on the field. He also became a strong presence within the community. He'll be missed, so the onus is on Carolina's young core and Hunter Renfrow to step up accordingly.
Whether the Panthers' thought process would have changed if Jalen Coker's quad strain had happened the day before and not the day after trading Thielen is debatable. It seems unlikely, but it was a major stroke of misfortune for Dave Canales' offense that quickly brought Renfrow back on board.
Thielen took a massive pay cut to smooth negotiations, which made things easier for the Panthers and Vikings to strike a deal. It's a win-win for everybody, providing the likes of Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Coker (when he returns from injury) cope with increased responsibilities on their shoulders.
Time will tell on that. But nobody should question who truly engineered this trade after the initial approach was made. And nobody can blame Thielen for forcing the issue.