Getty Images Odell Beckham Jr.
The Dallas Cowboys signed veteran receiver T.Y. Hilton on Monday but that has seemingly not ended their interest in Odell Beckham Jr.
The Cowboys announced the addition of Hilton on Monday, which was somewhat of a curveball considering their heavy courtship of Beckham. But unlike Beckham, Hilton is ready to contribute immediately, which was the sticking point for the Cowboys after OBJ came for a visit on December 5.
“It’s a great addition,” head coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday. “Obviously, he’s been working all year, so he’s in great, great shape medically. He had the workout so I’m looking forward to it — he’s actually meeting with [receivers coach] Robert Prince right now. The biggest thing for him will be [playbook] language, which always is when you get new opportunities.”
While the addition of Hilton would seem to indicate that Beckham was off the Cowboys radar, CBS Sports insider Josina Anderson said not so fast. She reported that the Cowboys have ‘not clearly moved on from Odell.’
That jives with what owner and general manager Jerry Jones had to say after the Cowboys’ comeback victory against the Texans on Sunday.
“Not at all. Put a big exclamation on that,” Jones said of his interest in Beckham. “That’s all I got on that.”
Hilton Has Strong Resume But Has Been Banged Up
While Beckham is surely the more flashy name, Hilton has a strong resume in his own right. He reeled off five 1,000-yard seasons in Indianapolis, including 2016 when he led the league in receiving yards.
However, he has not broken that mark since 2018 and played just 10 games for the Colts last season, catching 23 balls for 331 yards.
Hilton had said in the offseason he would have been open to finishing his career with the Colts but kept his options open. He now gets to contribute for a contender, with the Cowboys sitting at 10-3.
“He passed everything with flying colors,” McCarthy said. “The timing is right and he’s ready to go.”
He’ll join a wide receiver unit that is headlined by CeeDee Lamb, Micahel Gallup and Noah Brown. Another veteran set of hands will be a welcome sight for Dak Prescott. But it’s still to be determined how much work Hilton will get within the offense, especially with Brown emerging as a solid third option and James Washington recently returning to the lineup following a broken foot he suffered in camp.
Dak Prescott Looking to ‘Clean Up’ Play After INTs
The Cowboys have surged to a 10-3 record with few hiccups but a pair of Dak Prescott interceptions nearly cost them against the lowly Texans. Prescott — who has 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season — promised to clean it up.
“I’ve worked too hard. This team has worked too hard, created too great of a chemistry for me to not be aggressive and not try to make the throws that I know I can make. But damn sure got to be smarter and just weigh the risk versus the reward in a split second. That’s just my preparation. … That’s something that I promise I’ll clean up.”
Prescott and the Cowboys will likely have their new addition Hilton active for Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. Dallas has opened as a 5.5-point favorite for the road contest.