After Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards and scored two touchdowns against a struggling Dallas defense, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claimed his team didn’t sign the “modern-day Jim Brown” in free agency because they couldn’t afford him.
That’s not accurate.
The Cowboys could have afforded Henry; they simply chose not to pursue him. Henry’s contract with the Ravens has a cap hit of $5.105 million in 2024, while the Cowboys currently have $25.8 million in cap space.
Although the Cowboys faced tighter financial constraints earlier in the offseason, they missed opportunities to create more cap space when they had the chance to go “all-in” for a player like Henry. The new deal for receiver CeeDee Lamb freed up over $9 million, and quarterback Dak Prescott’s restructured contract saved more than $10 million.
Instead of acting decisively, the Cowboys hesitated on both contracts, which doesn’t make sense. The longer you wait to sign a player, the more expensive it typically gets.
Instead, the Cowboys opted to spend $2 million on a reunion with running back Ezekiel Elliott, who managed only six yards on three carries against Baltimore and has just 62 yards this season.
So, Jerry isn’t being truthful about Henry. He could have signed him but chose not to take the necessary steps. Now, the Cowboys are paying the price for that decision.
Ultimately, this highlights a fundamental issue for the Cowboys. Despite his contributions to the game, Jerry Jones is being frugal. Rather than pursuing significant talent, he seems to be misleading fans into believing his financially capable organization couldn’t find a way to sign one of the league’s top running backs.
