The Cowboys surprised the NFL world on Monday, as after their scare against the Texans that they survived to win and move to 10-3 on the season, they signed veteran receiver and former Colt T.Y. Hilton.
Hilton, who has been a free agent all season after finishing out last year with the Colts, will don the Cowboys star instead of Odell Beckham Jr., whom by all indications the Cowboys were close to signing. Beckham was in Dallas last week and went so far as to go to a Mavericks game with Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs, but ultimately the Cowboys have seemingly spurned him for Hilton.
The move comes a day after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones adamantly denied the Cowboys had lost interest in Beckham, telling Clarence Hill “not at all. Put a big exclamation on that” when asked if the Cowboys had moved on from Beckham.
While this doesn’t preclude the Cowboys from signing Beckham, it certainly indicates the Cowboys found a deal they wanted in Hilton. It was no secret the Cowboys were in the market for a wide receiver down the stretch, and Hilton’s ability to take the field immediately likely coincided with a sense of urgency given Sunday’s unnervingly close game.
MORE: NFL power rankings: Cowboys, Vikings, Giants get exposed
Why did the Cowboys sign T.Y. Hilton?
Hilton is an interesting choice, given the fact he hasn’t played all season because of questions about his hamstrings. He’s had a myriad of lower-body injuries over the years that have hindered him, and at 33 years old he’s not expected to speed up.
However, in the NFL, the best ability is availability, and Hilton should be ready to go right away for Dallas.
Reporting from Josina Anderson appears to confirm that thought process, while also not slamming the door shut on more Beckham talk down the road.
League source on if the #Cowboys signing T.Y. Hilton definitely means they’ve shut down talks with Odell Beckham Jr: “not clearly moved on from Odell.”
When asked for thoughts on why Dallas proceeded with Hilton–given the above answer–was told bc Hilton can play “right now.”
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 12, 2022
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was enthusiastic about Hilton’s addition.
“Great addition,” he said, per Jon Machota. “We’ll get him out there Wednesday and get him acclimated. He had a workout. Everything passed with flying colors. The timing is right. He’s ready to go.”
MORE: Odell Beckham Jr. explains what will drive free agency decision
Despite not being a 1,000-yard receiver anymore, that isn’t necessarily what the Cowboys were looking for in their receiver search. Rather, they wanted someone who could comfortably slot in under CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and James Washington now that Washington is back.
Why didn’t the Cowboys sign Odell Beckham Jr.?
The reporting around Beckham is fuzzy, but it seems like things weren’t quite as close as they appeared to be publicly.
Jane Slater reported on NFL Network last week that, despite Jones wanting Beckham, they didn’t see him work out. That obfuscated the timeline for his return from the torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl last season.
Slater reported it would “be a push to have [Beckham] available” if the Cowboys made it to the Super Bowl in February, which obviously doesn’t fit the Cowboys’ timeline.
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could surprise us all but getting the sense the #Cowboys are walking away from this one due to concerns about his ability to play this season. I’ll explain. pic.twitter.com/8rqygL5rFA
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) December 7, 2022
Because the Cowboys weren’t able to find a clear date for Beckham’s return, “no offer was made.”
On “The Shop’s” broadcast of “Thursday Night Football” last week, Beckham also made an appearance and said, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, “I need some money. I know what I’m worth.” While that doesn’t necessarily say anything definitive about his asking price, if he’s looking for years beyond 2022, it may be harder to land him on a deal.
Ultimately, Hilton makes sense for what the Cowboys are looking for. Lamb and Gallup in particular have been impressive in recent weeks, so a role player should be a perfect fit. Add to that Hilton going to a team with a chance to compete this year, and it seems like it could be a match made in heaven.
