T.Y. Hilton has saved Dallas Cowboys, who tacitly admit WR mistakes post Amari Cooper
When the Dallas Cowboys released receiver James Washington on Wednesday morning they quietly (or finally) admitted what has been evident since the beginning of the season.
The offseason plan at receiver following the still questionable trade of then-No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick was a colossal failure.
It didn’t prove to be fatal for a 12-4 Cowboys team. Heading into the final game of the season and the upcoming playoffs, the Cowboys boost one of the league’s highest scoring offenses thanks to a strong running game, the outstanding play of quarterback Dak Prescott as well the rise of CeeDee Lamb as the team’s No. 1 receiver and the recent addition of the still speedy 33-year-old T.Y. Hilton.
Lamb’s production was expected. He led the Cowboys in receptions in 2021 and was named to the Pro Bowl. His ascension to the No. 1 role was preordained and has produced with 102 catches for 1,307 yards and eight touchdowns, earning a second trip to the Pro Bowl.
But Hilton has saved the Cowboys bacon not just from their offseason mistakes but also on the field in just two games with the team. He has five catches for 102 yards and that includes a 52-yard reception on third-and-30 that sparked a 40-34 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Eve.
He had two more receptions on third down in last week’s 27-13 victory against the Tennessee Titans.
His emergence has made the release of Washington palatable and understandable as the Cowboys prepare for the playoffs.
But it doesn’t exempt the Cowboys from their poor decision making at the position, starting with the trading of Cooper for less than market value.
The Cowboys signed Michael Gallup to five-year, $57.5 million deal even though they knew he was coming off a torn ACL and was expected to miss the first three games of the season.
Gallup, who is still trying to get back in a groove, has 38 catches for 414 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.
He has a strong track record with the Cowboys and there is no reason to give up on him for the future.
But the Cowboys followed the Gallup signing with the addition of Washington in free agency and then the drafting of rookie receiver Jalen Tolbert in the second round.
Both were tabbed to make immediate impacts, especially with Gallup slated to be sidelined early in the season, to help make up for the loss of Cooper.
Both were disappointments from the outset.
Washington was injured during the offseason practices and spent most of OTAs and minicamp in a walking boot. Then on the first day of training camp practice, he suffered a fractured foot and began the season on injured reserve.
He has appeared in just two games and has no catches, one target and a drop.
Tolbert, who was set back in minicamp with an injury, has struggled since training camp. He has been active of only seven games this season but has just two catches for 12 yards.
Noah Brown, who has largely been a special teams performer for the Cowboys since making the team in 2017, has somewhat filled the void with a career-high 42 catches for 545 yards and three touchdowns. But he also has six drops in role, including one that resulted in a game-loss pick-6 in 40-34 overtime setback to the Jacksonville Jaguars that was never meant for him.
Not coincidentally, that was the last game played by Washington as Hilton took the field in his place the following week and his package is expected to increase considerably in the playoffs.
The Cowboys admission of their mistake at wide receiver began unfolding around the trade deadline in October when they tried to acquire Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans and made overtures to the Denver Broncos about Jerry Jeudy.
They then doubled down on their need for receiver help with the public pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr., who is still rehabbing a torn ACL, before eventually landing Hilton because he was healthy and ready to play.
The decision to release Cooper over his contract and his decision to not get vaccinated last season was still a football mistake.
Cooper has 79 catches for 1,109 yards and a career-high 9 touchdowns in Cleveland, playing with a backup quarterback for much of the season.
Not all the Cowboys offseason moves were bad.
The decision to move on from defensive end Randy Gregory and right tackle La’el Collins proved to be correct.
Gregory has played in just six games with the Denver Broncos and has just 2 sacks. Meanwhile, the Cowboys rank third in NFL in sacks with 51 and have gotten greater production from the three players tabbed in replace Gregory.
Dorance Amstrong has a career-high 8 sacks. Free-agent signee Dante Fowler has 6 and rookie second-round pick Sam Williams has 3.
Collins, who struggled early for the Cincinnati Bengals, is now out of the season with a torn ACL. Terence Steele was having a strong year at right tackle in Collins’ place for suffering a torn ACL of his own.
The Cowboys have replaced him with eight-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith at right tackle, which is ultimately an upgrade.
You win some, you lose some.
Either way, you move on and make the best of the situation.
Hilton helped the Cowboys do that at receiver.
