Jerry Jones Made an Excuse for Cowboys Not Signing Derrick Henry

Ryan Phillips | Sep 22, 2024

Jones's Cowboys are 1-2. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Derrick Henry didn't end up on the Dallas Cowboys in free agency and, according to Jerry Jones, that was never in the cards.

Henry dominated the Cowboys on Sunday, as the Baltimore Ravens running back rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, plus a 23-yard reception. The Ravens won 28–25 to send the Cowboys to 1–2. As a team, Baltimore rushed for 274 yards, while Dallas limped to 51 yards on the ground.

The Cowboys could use a back like Henry as they're currently using Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott in an anemic rushing attack. Henry lives in Dallas and was interested in playing for the Cowboys, but the offer never came and the Ravens ultimately signed him to a two-year, $16 million deal in the offseason.

When asked after Sunday's game why the Cowboys didn't sign Henry in the offseason, Jones said the team couldn't afford him.

The Cowboys couldn't find $8 million somewhere? That doesn't seem to track given how much they handed out in contracts this offseason.

Through three games, Henry has 280 yards and four touchdowns on 56 carries. That's more than five yards a carry. The Cowboys are averaging 3.6 yards per carry as a team. They need to get more out of the backfield.

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