It’s now week 15 in the NFL and Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have wrangled in T.Y. Hilton. The former Indianapolis Colt was signed as the team has come to terms with the 4-time pro-bowler.
The ‘Boys are currently 10-3 on the year and Hilton will join wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Noah Brown to see if he can help the Dallas Cowboys reach the Playoffs and beyond.
History
Hilton, 33, was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third-round in 2012, after fellow teammate Andrew Luck was selected number-one by the same team. It did not take long for the Stanford product to form quick chemistry with the FIU standout. They would be the foundation pieces of the Colts offense until the beginning of 2019, when Luck shockingly announced his retirement from the NFL.
From 2012-2017, “The Ghost” made defensive lineman disappear from their assignments and then he would magically pop up in the other team’s end zones. Hilton had five 1,000-yard receiving seasons, adding in an NFL-record 1,148 yards for Indy in 2016. His 9,691 career receiving yards placed him third in Indy’s history behind Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
Recently
The Cowboys and Jones have been vocal about adding a veteran receiver to a young and talented group that is only going to improve their scoring chances. The team is currently the No. 5 seed and are two games behind the first place Eagles (12-1) for the NFC East crown and the number one overall playoff seed.
Hilton is another speedy receiver that can catch deep balls on a go-route or catch inside in the slot when the outside lanes are covered. “The Ghost” would be like bringing back Amari Cooper who was traded to the Cleveland Browns in a salary cap move this past offseason.
By adding Hilton to the mix, they will be bringing in a pro-bowl caliber receiver who is a veteran leader and does not come with any character issues. Also, the signing is very cost friendly which will keep the Cowboys under the salary cap.
Who did the Cowboys Pass On?
Now before anyone asks, “Are the Cowboys out of the Odell Beckham Jr. race?”. Let’s go over some quick facts about what could have been? And after you read these facts, Cowboy fans, you will be thrilled that for now, they have passed on him.
In the beginning stages in October when OBJ was no longer whining about being, “excluded” from the Rams and their lowball offer of a contract this year, the former LSU standout was nowhere near ready to be playing football due to his torn ACL injury last year. But to keep him happy, the Ram’s did everything they could to tow the line and keep OBJ content.
Next, OBJ said that the Ram’s offered him “nothing” when they tried to pander by making him a reasonable offer. The receiver was comprehensive of his value, but then he tried to spin the story to his personal narrative that, the offer, “isn’t reflective of that.”
OBJ’s blunders are just a microcosm of the Ram’s miserable 2022 campaign. The problem here is OBJ’s out of touch with the reality of his situation. OBJ has no chance of signing with any of the contending teams. Not the Buffalo Bills who preach culture and playing as a family. Not the New York Giants who already dealt with him once. Heck, even Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, a team who likes adding talented diva’s to their team said his workout was not up to par and that he is not in any healthy shape to be playing in the NFL right now.
What OBJ “did” get out of the Visit
When OBJ did visit the Blue and Silver, he managed to maneuver Jones and the Cowboys into court side seats to see the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA play. Being the smooth operator that he is, he probably took in some free Mavericks merchandise and a gourmet meal to round out the evening.
Odell Beckham Jr. last night on @NFLonPrime: “I would like to be in a stable environment, get up at 6 am, leave at 6 pm for 4 weeks, and then let’s talk about it. … I’m not saying I couldn’t step in and play regular season, but I don’t see the point.” pic.twitter.com/iajy74ZKLT
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 9, 2022
Despite all of these deeds and the signs pointing towards the free agent returning to the Gridiron, OBJ spoke to @NFLPRIME saying, “I’m not saying I couldn’t step in and play regular season, but I don’t see the point. I really don’t. I ‘d rather play when the pressure’s on.”
He wasn’t joking. He was totally honest with his statement. I bet his agent was flipping out when he heard his statement. It just shows how arrogant certain players in the league can be. Most players want to play, “anywhere”, “anytime!”
Now we see why the Cowboys had to pass on a player who really doesn’t want to play in games now. Hilton signed with the Cowboys and wants to play.
Contract Incentives
Winning teams have other important things on their minds. Like signing players who want to play. Hilton will get $600,000 for the last four games and $50,000 in bonuses for each of those games that he’s on the active roster. In addition, he can also receive up to $700,000 in postseason incitements.
A team source told Yahoo Sports that the Cowboys were ready to present OBJ additional money if they were going to make him an offer. Even so, it would have been a short-termed contract.
Let’s welcome Hilton to the team and hope that he brings Jones and the Cowboys all the success they need to make the Playoffs and beyond.
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