It turns out that the New England Patriots’ true intentions for Wes Welker were revealed long ago, in September, before his quarterback and friend Tom Brady took a below-market contract extension to create salary-cap space to help his team keep critical parts, before the owner Robert K. Kraft said this week that he wanted Welker to be a Patriot for life.

Had tight end Aaron Hernandez not injured his ankle in the second game of the season, maybe the Patriots would not have sent such a shock through the N.F.L. on Wednesday when they allowed Welker to leave after they declined to top the modest contract the Denver Broncos gave him of two years for $12 million, all guaranteed — that’s $12 million total, not per year.

In that game against the Arizona Cardinals, Welker was an afterthought. Brady’s favorite receiver, who had played 90 percent of the Patriots’ offensive snaps in 2011, was relegated to the bench, behind Julian Edelman and Brandon Lloyd, in two-receiver sets.

The Patriots and Welker had engaged in an off-season contract stare-down, and he was playing under a one-year franchise tag, which he signed, sacrificing his leverage in the hopes that his loyalty and show of good faith would be rewarded with a long-term contract.