Cowboys Signing T.Y. Hilton Smarter Move Than Odell Beckham Jr. - Here's Why
When the Dallas Cowboys signed veteran wideout T.Y. Hilton, they knew they might not be getting the perennial 1,000-yard receiver.
But they also knew they were getting something that their flirtation with Odell Beckham Jr. would not: A play-maker ... now.
And a mentor as well.
That is the role Hilton has played since coming to Dallas. After being inactive during the overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hilton had his chance to make his Cowboys debut against the Philadelphia Eagles. His 52-yard reception on third-and-30 will make all the headlines, yet what he's done away from the bright lights of AT&T Stadium has also been impactful.
Hilton, 33, has been sharing his wisdom from years of experience with young Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb.
"Just things that Reggie [Wayne] taught me when I was in CeeDee's shoes," Hilton said, flashing back to his days in Indianapolis. "I got a chance to spend some of my knowledge on him with route-running, getting open, getting separation to help him turn it from a contested catch to a non-contested [catch], and building up his YAC."
Hilton even revealed he had a part to play in Lamb's 36-yard touchdown reception.
Said Hilton: "Like on his touchdown, we had that similar play called in practice. I told him to aim a little higher because it's easier to adjust back down than it is to adjust back up.
"He made that adjustment, and he was able to score.''
Hilton's arrival has coincided with one of Lamb's best games, as CeeDee ended up going for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 10 receptions as the Cowboys beat the Eagles 40-34.
Would OBJ, had he signed with Dallas, have made a catch to beat the Eagles? Nope.
Would he, while rehabbing his knee, have found time to become an insta-mentor? No way of knowing.
Will OBJ be a target of owner Jerry Jones next March, when the receiver is healthy? Maybe, though what Hilton accomplishes in the coming weeks may factor in to that decision.
But for now? Hilton and Lamb will look to help the playoff-bound Cowboys in their Thursday night game at the Tennessee Titans. ... and will do so in ways in which OBJ could not have helped at all - making the Hilton idea a superior one to the Beckham idea.
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