Derrick Henry Is An MVP Candidate But Jerry Jones Not Sure He'd Be That Good With The Cowboys
Jerry Jones was back on his radio show in the Metroplex on Tuesday morning with the same folks he threatened to fire last week and all is well again – except for the part about the Dallas Cowboys not signing Derrick Henry in the offseason.
That logical move which wasn't made has been a problem – and not just on the field – for the team's owner and general manager.
CANTON, Ohio - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reacts following the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on August 5, 2017. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Derrick Henry Not A Fit?
Fair Questions about it and other decisions seemingly made Jones upset last week, which is when he threatened to fire hosts Shan & RJ on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan.
But Jones was back on Tuesday, kind of sort of mending fences and rejoining the Henry conversation.
"The point is we've, in my mind, we're not playing very good football right now. At all." Jones said. "And it's beyond whether we have Derrick Henry or not.
"Derrick Henry is having a career year. I don't know if he'd be having that career year in our situation. And that's really something you really do have to look at. Because if he had not had as many carries as our running backs have had, then he certainly, probably wouldn't have attained the level of impact he's had."
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Derrick Henry Chasing Rushing Title
The sound you're hearing is Jones tying himself in knots.
Henry leads the NFL is rushing. He's only 127 yards shy of 1,000 yards after only seven games.
He's averaging a league-leading 124.7 yards per game. He's averaging a league-leading 6.5 yards per rush for any running back with more than 25 carries.
But Jones is not sure Henry would be so good with the Cowboys?
"He's a really good complement to the type of offense they run," Jones said. "We don't run that type of offense at all. Our situation is more about, frankly, holding your blocks. It's more about not making mistakes. It's more about, in my mind, the receivers running through a tough man-to-man coverage and running on through it."
Jones blamed his team's struggles on "bad plays" or "bad concepts" plus inconsistent execution and mistakes attributed to inexperience.
All those things might have held Henry back in Dallas.
Or maybe not. Maybe Jones and the Cowboys just blew it.
BALTIMORE, Md. - Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on October 13, 2024. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Jones Says Cap A Hindrance
The Cowboys are the NFL's worst rushing team, averaging a paltry 77.2 yards per game.
Derrick Henry would have changed those numbers regardless of whether the Cowboys are a zone blocking or a power blocking team.
Jones probably knows this in his heart of hearts.
And that's fine because in the same interview he came up with another reason why not signing Henry was the right move.
"Derrick Henry didn't fit principally because of managing the cap," Jones said. "Managing the cap in anticipation of the players we were going to sign weeks later. Or in anticipation of the players we were going to sign in the future."
Tune in to the Jerry Jones Show again next week when the Cowboys' owner will offer more reasons why not signing Derrick Henry was the right call.