Jerry Jones explains why Cowboys didn't sign Derrick Henry

The Dallas Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones saw firsthand the "what could have been" during a tough Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Among the many talking points from a 28-25 loss was the Cowboys' desperate need for help at running back, and the player many fans hoped owner Jerry Jones would pursue in 2024 free agency. Derrick Henry was a top name on the running back market this past offseason. He signed with the Ravens and on Sunday, the Cowboys got a dose of the player they missed out on.

Henry ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, including an impressive 26-yard score to push Baltimore's lead to 28-6 in the third quarter. Following the game, Jones discussed Henry and explained why the Cowboys couldn't afford the running back in free agency, as The Athletic's Jon Machota detailed.

"I don't know, why can't you buy a mansion when you live in a different kind of house?" Jones said. "We couldn't afford it. We couldn't make that all fit. That's as simple as that."

While Jones and the Cowboys had numerous contract extensions to negotiate, including two agreed to in CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott, Henry's deal with the Ravens didn't break the bank. The longtime Tennessee Titan signed a two-year, $16 million deal to join Lamar Jackson and company. In terms of annual salary, Henry checks in at No. 9 in the NFL among running backs.

The Cowboys opted to re-sign Ezekiel Elliott instead, inking the team's former first-round pick to a one-year, $2 million deal worth up to $3 million with incentives.

To make matters worse, while Henry ran all over the Cowboys, Dallas's run game was nearly nonexistent. Rico Dowdle led the way with eight carries for 32 yards, while Elliott had just six yards on three attempts. This comes one week after a similar result from the rushing attack in the Cowboys' loss to the New Orleans Saints, as Dowdle had seven carries for 30 yards, with Elliott totaling 16 yards on six attempts.

It would have taken some work on the salary cap side for the Cowboys to make a deal with Henry work, but based on his impact thus far with the Ravens, it's hard to argue that the move wouldn't have been worth it.