For weeks we have heard about the Dallas Cowboys possibly being the favorites to sign free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham began his free agent tour last week as he is inching closer to joining a team as he received full clearance a few weeks ago.
Beckham had his visit with the Cowboys this week, but things didn’t go as planned. There are reportedly some concerns on their end about the physical that Beckham underwent. He is recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl in February while playing for the Los Angeles Rams and the Cowboys don’t believe there has been enough progress to ensure that he would be on the field before mid-January.
Bringing in Beckham was always looked at as a move to help more in 2023 than 2022 as he still needs to get into game shape and knock off the rust that builds up when being sidelined as long as Beckham has been. A one-year deal for Beckham is what would make the most sense for Dallas as they have $6.3 million available, but their 2023 cap outlook is complicated.
With 19 players set to hit free agency, committing money to Beckham in 2023 may not be their best course of action. While the sharing of his physical may be some posturing on their part, hoping to scare away the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills, the other teams Beckham visited, it doesn’t change the fact that the Cowboys need some help at the wide receiver position.
If they do not believe Beckham is capable of getting on the field before the postseason begins, they need to look elsewhere for help. An NFL Scout that spoke to NFL Analysis Network believes that veteran T.Y. Hilton would be a good pivot for the team to make.
“I don’t think OBJ is the answer there with the health concerns surrounding him. Dallas still needs to add a wideout thought, and I think (TY) Hilton would be a nice and cheap addition. He’s rested, healthy, and ready to go.”
Hilton has spent his entire 10-year career with the Indianapolis Colts. Injuries have slowed him down a little bit the last few seasons, but he showed last season that he still has something left in the tank to offer. His 14.4 yards per reception were the most he averaged since 2018, which is when the injuries began piling up.
As a third option behind CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, Hilton should be able to produce enough to keep defenses honest. While no longer a No. 1 option, the veteran savvy is still there to make plays as a complementary player for the Cowboys’ playoff run.
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