The Packers trading for Micah Parsons, after the Cowboys seemingly showed no interest in moving their likely future Hall of Fame pass rusher, shocked the NFL world on Thursday for more reasons than one. Beyond the fact that the Cowboys actually agreed to the move, Parsons' newest contract was certainly noteworthy, as he became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
That was a bit more unexpected, given that the Patriots were considered one of the most realistic teams to acquire him, given that they still sit with the most cap space to utilize. But that might not have ever been a factor in their decision not to engage in trade talks with Dallas.
It's a move that has Patriots fans split, as many wish Parsons could have been the next great New England Patriot, while others are fine with not forfeiting two future first-round picks and a solid player in the process.
But that doesn't negate the curiosity about whether the Patriots would have been willing to make such an offer for a player of Parsons' caliber, especially since GM Eliot Wolf stated they would be willing to give up high draft capital for the right player.
While we won't ever really know the answer to that, we are being told the opinions of Patriots' insiders and whether they believe if this kind of deal would have ever been done.
Patriots' insider suggests rumored reason for no Micah Parsons trade to New England could not be accurate
During Thursday night's episode of NBC Sports Boston's Early Edition, Patriots insider Phil Perry discussed the Parsons trade with Boston radio host Marc Bertrand.
Perry immediately shut down the notion that the Patriots would have been remotely interested in a deal of this magnitude, to which Bertrand suggested the strained relationship between Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones might have played a role. However, Perry dismissed that idea as well, stating his belief that trade talks would never have gotten far enough for their strained relationship to have been a problem.
"I don't think it even gets to that point with Micah Parsons, because I don't think the Patriots would be willing. I really don't. Do you think they would've been willing to pay him like a quarterback and give up two first-round picks as a team that's coming off back-to-back four-win seasons? That conversation stops well before it gets to Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft."
Perry makes a fair point, especially since the conversations would have had to be pretty serious by the time the owners got on the phone to discuss the deal. It was going to happen, no matter how much some fans wished for it.
From the beginning, it was well known that if the Cowboys changed their mind and were willing to trade a talent like Parsons, they would only do so for an extraordinary trade package, with most assuming it would require a minimum of two first-round picks.
Beyond that, it was believed that multiple second-round picks and more would need to be added, too, if not a player, as well. That immediately eliminated the Patriots from contention in the eyes of many analysts and fans, despite the availability of cash to make the deal happen.
And while that makes sense, adding Parsons to their defense would have made them a much more competitive team right away, even if they still have a lot of growing to do offensively. Because he's only 27 years old, he's currently in his prime, and they could have built the defense around him as a pillar.
It wouldn't have been cheap, but players of his caliber don't become available often, if ever. So if they managed to pull off the trade, it would've been difficult to be upset over.
But instead, they will carry around $60 million in cap space into the regular season and we'll have to see what they do with it. There is still time to make a big-time trade happen for a superstar player, whoever that may be. Alternatively, they may roll it over into next year in the hope of having more options during the 2026 offseason.