Jerry Jones responds to backlash over his Derrick Henry comments

Sep 19, 2021; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has heard all the noise after he explained why his team didn’t go after Derrick Henry over the offseason.

On Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens running back was dominant in a 28-25 win over the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Henry repeatedly gashed the Cowboys’ defensive line for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries.

With Dallas struggling to get their run game going, Jones was asked Sunday why the Cowboys didn’t try to land Henry in free agency. Jones claimed the Cowboys “couldn’t afford” Henry’s price tag.

The comment raised some eyebrows given that Henry signed a relatively affordable 2-year deal with the Ravens worth just $16 million.

On a Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones was asked about his claim that Henry was beyond the Cowboys’ budget. Before the host could even finish his question, Jones cut him off and sounded very much prepared to respond.

“That’s correct,” Jones said, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. “That is very correct. Stop right there. That’s very correct. Part of what you would’ve paid him is going to players we paid in the past, and part of what you would have paid him is going forward in the future.

“But had I thought that that position this year was gonna make that kind of difference, and that’s what you save your bucks for. But it’s too complicated to point to a player. There’s too much at stake when you look at the entire offense and you look at what we’re doing and what we’re trying to do with the run game as opposed to the passing game. That’s too complicated to dwell on the fact that we don’t have a given player on the team.”

The Cowboys did reach deep into their pockets to sign both Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to massive extensions this offseason.

But given how poorly the Cowboys have run the football this offseason, Jones probably should have gone over budget if his team had a shot at Henry. Through Week 3, Dallas is 30th in rushing yards (221) and bottom-5 in yards per carry (3.6).

Henry by himself has 60 more rushing yards than the entire Cowboys offense.