There has been a lot of chatter over the past month about the Patriots’ potential involvement in a blockbuster trade for one of the top players still holding out for a massive contract extension. That has connected them to pass rushers Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons, as well as wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Over the past week, it has looked like their chances at pulling off a trade for two of those names became increasingly unlikely, while the possibility of a trade for Parsons has seemingly increased, as things between him and the Cowboys have only worsened.

That could ultimately lead to team owner Jerry Jones throwing his hands in the air and giving up on trying to keep Parsons around for a long time. Based on his most recent interview about the situation, it looks like they’re headed for disaster and quickly.

But this should also be a warning to the Patriots, who would very much benefit from having a player of Parsons’ caliber on their team.

Given how he’s handling the ongoing situation and his agent’s alleged conduct during the negotiation process, it might be better for the Patriots to completely turn the other way and not give a trade for him much more thought.

There might be good reason for the Patriots to give up on the idea of a trade for Micah Parsons

To pull off a trade for a player like Parsons, the Patriots would have to dish out a lot of draft capital, maybe even some players, and a lot of money in an extension. Because they have the cap space to handle that task, as well as a significant need for a legitimate pass rusher, it’s hard to rule out Parsons completely.

Adding him to the defense would make them an immediate threat to opposing offenses, especially quarterbacks, and finally give the Patriots a threat on the defensive line that they have long lacked.

But even if they could offer the best trade package and could get him in the door, the ongoing situation with Dallas is certainly worth monitoring. It’s even more critical given Vrabel’s approach to running the team, where players prioritize the team’s needs over their own.

That might not be a mindset that Parsons is willing to buy into, at least not at this point, and could become a problem on the roster. It could easily change once he’s given a new contract, but it might not be a risk worth taking for the Patriots.

Regardless, it’s something they’ll have to keep a close eye on if he eventually becomes available. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of player who would instantly become a pillar of their team for the foreseeable future, and that’s not being dramatic. So for that reason alone, they have to monitor what happens.

They just also can’t ignore what happens between now and whatever the inevitable end is, whether it’s in Dallas or not.