After Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry gashed the Dallas Cowboys defense for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s 28-25 loss, owner Jerry Jones had to stand and answer questions from reporters about why he didn’t sign the All-Pro with RB being the Cowboys’ top need this offseason.
Jones claimed he couldn’t afford Henry, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Ravens in March, and that although he would’ve loved to add him to the roster, it simply wasn’t in the cards.
However, ESPN's Adam Schefter isn't buying it.
During a recent appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schefter stated he believed if Jones wanted to bolster Dallas’ running back room, he would’ve done so regardless of how much it cost.
“Derrick Henry has the same agent as Dak Prescott,” Schefter said. “Like you can find a way, I would think. I would think Dak’s agent would want Derrick Henry in Dallas if that could be worked out. … If you want a player badly enough, you find a way to make it work — period.”
Schefter pointed out not being able to afford Henry was Jones’ own doing because of some of the questionable contracts he chose to keep on the books like backup quarterback Trey Lance ($5M) and receiver Brandin Cooks ($10M).
Per Spotrac, the Cowboys have $25.8M in cap space, which likely makes Jones’ decision not to sign arguably the top free-agent running back on the market even more puzzling.
Through three games, Rico Dowdle is Dallas’ leading rusher with 88 yards on 23 carries. Ezekiel Elliott (62 yards) and Deuce Vaughn (20 yards) are the only other RBs to log any carries this season.
Elliott and Prescott are the only two players to score a rushing touchdown as well.
