Cowboys 'Perfect Fit!' Dallas Signs T.Y. Hilton Over OBJ; Contract Details, 3 Reasons Why

It may not be the deal that was talked about, but signing T.Y. Hilton was the deal that made sense for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys decided they needed help at wide receiver on Monday. The new guy just isn't who everybody was talking about.

No on Odell Beckham Jr.. Instead, they signed T.Y. Hilton. 

Why did the Cowboys opt for the 33-year-old Hilton over the 30-year-old Beckham?  

Hilton Passed the Test With "Flying Colors"

OBJ wasn't the only receiver the Cowboys were looking at. They brought in the former Indianapolis Colts star Hilton for a Monday workout, the sort of session Beckham declined to engage in.

"He passed everything with flying colors," said coach Mike McCarthy of Hilton. "The timing is right and he's ready to go."

Beckham's knee rehab situation remains a "red flag," especially when he was at one time asking for the money that CowboysSI.com has reported to be in the ballpark of $13 million and $20 million in a multi-year deal. 

Hilton's money ... isn't that.

Less Risk, More Flexibility

The deal for Hilton is a team-friendly one. Tom Pelissero reported Monday that Hilton's contract guarantees him $600,000 but could rise to $1.5 million with added incentives. 

New #Cowboys WR T.Y. Hilton’s deal:

$600K guaranteed salary for remaining four games

$50K per-game roster bonuses

Up to $700K playoff incentives

Max value: $1.5 million

A solid deal for Hilton, who waited for the right situation and lands in Dallas.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 13, 2022

An OBJ contract could create financial stress. This deal does not of that.

'Perfect Fit'

Those are Hilton's own words.

"Perfect fit,'' he told Josina Anderson. "I can help right now.''

"Perfect'' is a stretch. At his best, Hilton was a 1000-yard receiver and a four-time Pro Bowler. Dallas, which has CeeDee Lamb at the top of the depth chart and will eventually need to make a roster move for Hilton to be active, doesn't expect him to play as he did in his prime; instead, the Cowboys want another option who can step up when called upon. 

And being able to do so quickly - as opposed to OBJ's proposal that he be allowed to not participate until he's under the bright lights of the playoffs "when the pressure's on'' - is "perfect'' enough ...

Because as far as the playoff-hungry Cowboys are concerned, the pressure is on now.

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