Cowboys Urged to Pursue Former $65 Million Receiver

Getty The Cowboys could be the perfect landing spot for T.Y. Hilton.

The Dallas Cowboys are being urged to pursue a notable wide receiver on the market.

With Dak Prescott on the verge of returning from injury, they may have to add another weapon in their quest for a Super Bowl run. As Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine notes, T.Y. Hilton is a free agent option that the Cowboys should pursue.

Ballentine argues that if Dallas doesn’t want to give up any draft capital, a trade for a receiver is highly unlikely. Going the free agency route and signing the four-time Pro Bowl Hilton could be the most reasonable option.

“The trade market might be an option, but if the Cowboys don’t want to give up any draft capital, it would make sense to reach out to T.Y. Hilton,” says Ballentine. “The veteran receiver doesn’t have the same blazing speed he once did, but he’s still a savvy veteran with good hands and would add a reliable target to Prescott’s arsenal.”

Hilton Could Serve as Viable Secondary Target for Cowboys

Hilton had spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts, with his tenure spanning from 2012 until 2021. The 32-year-old receiver’s best years are clearly behind him — he last clinched a Pro Bowl berth during the 2017 season, prior to Andrew Luck’s retirement — but he can still be a viable secondary option.

In his last full season back in 2020, Hilton caught a respectable 56 passes for 762 yards and five touchdowns. His 50.8 receiving yards per game that season.

Cowboys Simply Lacking Receiving Options Beyond Lamb

When looking at the Cowboys’ current receivers, the only receiving option that has more receiving yards per game this season is CeeDee Lamb (68.2 receiving yards per game).

While a lot of that has to do with Cooper Rush starting at quarterback in place of the injured Prescott, the reality is Dallas just doesn’t have much receiving depth beyond Lamb and Michael Gallup. Gallup continues to get back in shape after returning in Week 4 from an ACL injury. The Cowboys’ No. 2 option has just eight receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown.

James Washington is still recovering from a Jones fracture injury suffered during training camp and rookie Jalen Tolbert hasn’t even been a blip on the radar. It doesn’t help that starting tight end Dalton Schultz has been slowed drastically by his PCL injury, failing to make an impact in the receiving game this season (nine receptions for 80 yards, 20.0 receiving yards per game).

In other words, career special teams ace Noah Brown has emerged as the second option in the receiving game behind Lamb, catching 20 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown.

As Ballentine notes, the Cowboys simply have a dearth of “difference-making” receivers. That’s a far contrast from last season when Dallas had arguably the best receiving core in the league — Lamb, Gallup, Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson

“The return of Dak Prescott is an exciting development for the passing game,” says Ballentine. “However, there’s still a dearth of difference-making receivers for the Cowboys.”

Considering Hilton remains a free agent and is likely seeing a Super Bowl ring to cap off a productive career, it shouldn’t cost much for Dallas to sign the veteran receiver.