Defeats ache. And defeat handed by a guy you ‘wanted’ but couldn’t afford hurts even more. Jerry Jones did not mask it after his team’s second loss in three weeks and blatantly quipped, “We couldn’t afford Derrick Henry.” Yes! They were after him in the off-season. And yes, he was key in Baltimore’s 28-25 victory over the Cowboys. But the real question is: how is the most valuable franchise in sports wasn’t able to afford a ‘not so expensive’ wideout?
Well, not everything’s as straightforward as it seems. Sure, Derrick Henry’s guaranteed money was just $9 million. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Spotrac even pointed it out on X, saying the Cowboys “couldn’t afford” Henry because they owe QB3 Trey Lance $5.3 million guaranteed this year. Oh! And let’s not forget Dak Prescott’s $5 million bonus in March while negotiations stalled. So, yeah, it wasn’t as simple as dropping cash on Henry.
But there’s more to it. See, the thing is, the Cowboys didn’t extend CeeDee Lamb or Prescott’s contracts until right before the season started, leaving them strapped for cap space. So, your guess is as good as ours. Instead of splashing on Henry’s two-year, $16 million deal—or even re-signing Pollard for three years at $24 million—they opted for Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year, $3 million bargain. Talk about cutting corners, right? You’ve gotta wonder, though, would Henry have changed the game for them?
Jerry Jones seemed to think otherwise. When pressed about why they didn’t snag Henry, his response was classic Jerry: “Why can’t you buy a mansion when you live in a different kind of house?” Basically, they couldn’t afford him, and that’s that.
But let’s be real. Henry made sure the Cowboys knew exactly what they missed out on, bringing his A-game and reminding them of what could’ve been.
Derrick Henry became a nuisance for the Cowboys!
Baltimore ran all over the Cowboys like a team in practice mode, racking up 275 rushing yards on 45 attempts, making it look easy. Dallas’ defense? They’ve been leaking yardage like a broken dam, allowing an average of 185.7 rushing yards per game so far. And Derrick Henry? Well, he wasn’t just a thorn in their side—he was the entire bush.
Henry stomped through with 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, showing Dallas exactly what they missed out on. The Ravens hit fast, scoring on their first two possessions, and from there, it was the Derrick Henry show.
Meanwhile, Dallas went with their committee approach: Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and Deuce Vaughn combined for just 43 yards on 13 carries. Let that sink in—Henry nearly matched their season total in one game. You’ve gotta wonder, would Henry have changed the game for Dallas?
He certainly thought they might give him a call, seeing as he spends his offseasons in Big D. As Henry put it, “If Baltimore wasn’t interested, then I was thinking maybe Dallas because I live there.” But nope, no call came. Baltimore didn’t hesitate, though, and now the Ravens are reaping the rewards of their $16 million investment.
Jerry Jones had nothing but praise for Henry, saying, “Hats off to him. He had a great day today. Have all the respect in the world for him.” The Cowboys went for a bargain deal with Elliott instead, and it’s starting to look like a decision that’s haunting them. That’s the name of the game. And now, they cannot look at it as an excuse for the rest of the season. We hope not.
