Report: Cowboys sign veteran receiver T.Y. Hilton

The Cowboys are upgrading their wide receiver corps after all, but not in the way many had expected for the past month. Just a day after narrowly beating the Texans, the Cowboys have signed veteran receiver T.Y. Hilton.

It was reported earlier in the day on Monday that Hilton was someone to watch for the Cowboys after their initial pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. came and went without a deal. As recently as Sunday’s post-game comments, Jerry Jones had insinuated that their interest in Beckham was not over. It remains to be seen if that will change after Hilton’s addition.

Hilton has been in the league since 2012, and played every year of his career (until now) for the Colts. Coming into the league at the same time as Andrew Luck, Hilton quickly became a top receiver in Indianapolis and totaled 1,000+ receiving yards in five of his first seven seasons.

Hilton’s production began to taper off when Luck retired prior to the start of the 2019 season. He posted 501 on 45 catches in 2019, and then 762 yards on 56 catches in 2020. Last season, Hilton only played in 10 games and managed 23 catches for 331 yards, clearly signaling the end of his time in Indianapolis.

Hilton comes to the Cowboys as a free agent, and hasn’t been with a team in any capacity all year. He turned 33 in November and it’s unclear what kind of shape he is in. Still, Hilton was one of the league’s best deep threats for much of his career and his veteran leadership will be valuable in the locker room, especially considering the youth of the Cowboys’ receiving room at the moment.