The Dallas Cowboys could sign former Tennessee Titans star running back, Derrick Henry. There is speculation that is drumming up the rumors. However, they have a to-do list to finally acquire their next defensive coordinator. Also, extending their star players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons.
If they have enough money left over then they could target address fixing the running game. Jerry Jones did claim that Dallas is going “All In” in the offseason, and one of those moves may be Henry. After a rough year from Tony Pollard, many Cowboy fans are pleading to find a new running back. This is after the Cowboys decided to let Ezekiel Elliott walk in the free agency in 2023.
The free agency does not start until next month and there is one question is circulating. Would the Dallas Cowboys actually let Tony Pollard walk this upcoming free agency? Pollard is a pending free agent and they could do just that. However, signing Henry may fix the running woes that Dallas has been dealing with all season.
Last offseason, Henry saw his name linked with the Cowboys after Elliott moved on with New England. Things have changed in the past 12 months and they could target Henry. Dallas performed at a mediocre level in their run game ranking 15th with 113.5 yards.
Dallas Cowboys Could Sign Derrick Henry To Replace Tony Pollard
The Narrative Fits
While Pollard and Henry will become free agents next month, the narrative for Dallas fits. It didn’t make sense last year since Henry still had one more year on his contract with the Titans. The Cowboys were locked in with Pollard taking over the duties after Elliott didn’t produce and walked out. Dallas signing Henry could address the red zone issues they had all season.
TV analyst Marcus Spears explained and thinks that adding Henry should be the Cowboy’s No. 1 this offseason. A big and physical back would likely capture of Jones’ interest in looking into the situation. Compared to Pollard, he doesn’t have the size, but Henry has both. Henry has the size and physicality to run down defenders and bolt away.
However, the only thing is Henry’s age which goes against the organization’s belief about having an old running back. Some may say his production is slowing down given his age, but that isn’t the case. Henry ran 1,168 and 12 touchdowns this year and in his last game, he ran for over 100 yards. Henry is still surpassing 100 rushing yards four times and had totals of 80, 97 and 88 in the mix.
He also had three straight games of multiple rushing touchdowns. So for the Cowboys, age shouldn’t be an issue in finding their next star running back. That’s up to Dallas if they go in free agency with a new philosophy.
So What Do the Cowboys Do About Pollard?
Since he’s a pending free agent, the Cowboys could let him sign with any team he desires. They did the same thing last year with Elliott, but this time, Dallas needs to find a replacement. Compared with Henry, Pollard had streaks of eight or four games where he didn’t rush for a touchdown. It could make sense for Dallas to assess the situation and keep an eye on making a persuasive deal for Henry.
The only problem is the financial side of things that might make Jones tick. However, Henry has been linked to multiple reports for the last couple of seasons. This year might be one to finally make the move that Cowboys fans and talking heads are probably waiting for.
