The Dallas Cowboys were urged to sign Derrick Henry to fill their void at running back last offseason, but even after the hints he dropped, the team refused to make a move and he signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

FRISCO — The three seasons preceding the 2024 campaign left many Dallas Cowboys fans wondering how different decisions could have led to better outcomes. Each of those 12-5 years ended in playoff heartbreak and an extension of a decades long conference championship drought.

Following this 7-10 season, there is not much else to think about. The Cowboys simply lacked the talent to compete and could not withstand the burden of a list of key injuries over the course of 18 weeks.

If the season had gone differently, it would be because of multiple moves at various positions, not just one decision. However, one move (or lack thereof) continues to surface in the minds of the fan base.

Derrick Henry, who owned property near the team’s headquarters, hit the free agency market and seemed an ideal fit for the Cowboys. Instead, the front office chose to go cheap and sign Ezekiel Elliott.

The move is one that directs to the overall frustration with the “all in” promise that never came to fruition. But Cowboys defensive star Micah Parsons believes that even that big of a move would not have salvaged the team’s season.

“I’m afraid Derrick Henry wouldn’t even have helped us,” Parsons said to Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio. “The hypothetical can sound pretty good, but we struggled so much that I don’t even know if Derrick could’ve helped us. It would’ve been another Tennessee Titan year for him.”

Henry got his revenge on the Cowboys, pummeling their defense on the ground to the tune of 151 yards and two touchdowns on six yards per carry in the Ravens and Cowboys Week 3 matchup.

Despite Henry’s brilliance this season, one move in fact would not have saved the Cowboys. Injuries to Dak Prescott, Zack Martin and Parsons himself greatly inhibited those prospects earlier in the season.

But the frustration of Cowboys’ faithful stems from the ineptitude the franchise had in constructing their roster for the 2024 season. Those feelings are heightened when they see their hated rival get the pay off for a similar move.

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Saquon Barkley out of free agency and he has become an MVP candidate while leading the team to the Super Bowl. Dallas had the chance for a similar player, but instead balked at the idea and watched Jerry Jones liken the feeble Elliott to Henry during the season.

So Parsons may be right about what a world with Henry would have looked like, yet he is missing the mark on the fans’ nerves about how far the Cowboys are willing to extend to build a true contender.