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The Dallas Cowboys have questions to answer at the running back position, and the answer could be Derrick Henry. Henry is one of the most recognizable RBs in the league and as he plots his next move, his training is taking him to Dallas.
@LawsNation created chatter on January 27 by sharing a video of Henry training at the SandersFit Performance Center. The Tennessee Titans RB is shown doing a variety of workouts with a trainer at the facility.
“The #Cowboys should consider adding Derrick Henry to their roster,” the post reads. “The ex-#Titans running back is actively engaged in offseason training alongside Dr. Ashley Reichert, PT, DPT, at @SandersFit in Dallas, TX. As a free agent, Henry would be a great addition for the Cowboys…”
Henry is expected to depart the Titans and test free agency after first joining the team back in 2016. After Tennessee’s final regular season game, he thanked fans in retrospect in what felt like a farewell speech.
But it is important to remember that the idea of Henry joining the Cowboys is just speculation. In fact, SI.com’s Mike Fisher is even stating that Dallas is not “currently” interested in signing the four-time Pro Bowler.
Derrick Henry Still Playing at High Level in 2023
If the Cowboys do look to free agency over the NFL draft for their next RB, they could do a lot worse than Henry. Despite celebrating his 30th birthday recently, he has still been effective.
Pro Football Reference shows that Henry averaged 4.2 yards per carry last season, totaling 1167 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Of course, Henry isn’t hitting those totals without getting a ton of touches (he led the league with 280 rushes) but despite being the obvious spearhead of Tennessee’s offense, he was still consistently producing.
Dallas or any prospective suitor probably won’t be able get Henry back to the level of his 2027-yard season in 2020, but teams seem to know the importance of a two-back system.
The Cowboys got away from that in 2023 after Ezekiel Elliott was released. They utilized Tony Pollard as a lead back, and they were far less effective. Compared to 2022, Dallas totaled almost 400 less yards on the ground and averaged .2 yards less per attempt.
Henry Could Be Reasonably Priced Option for Cowboys
While Dallas has significant steps to take in order to offer contract extensions and make signings, Henry should be available for a reasonable price. Although he’s wrapping up a four-year, $50 million, he’s expected to take a sizable pay cut.
Spotrac projects him for a $4.3 million salary. Considering his track record, that feels like a small investment. Even if the Cowboys were to sign Henry as a secondary back, his skills in short-yardage situations would be huge.
But that’s where any team interested in Henry has questions to answer. Entering his 30-year-old season, should he be getting around 15 handoffs a game? Will he want to sign with a team if he’s being used as the second option rather than the first?
Whether the Cowboys look at Henry or not, his free agency saga will be one to monitor.
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