Dallas Cowboys sign free agent wide receiver TY Hilton

The Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of free agent wide receiver T.Y. Hilton on Monday following their close-shave win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Although the 33-year-old veteran is not the free agent that dominated the headlines in recent weeks, he is an experienced contributor who allows the team some flexibility moving forward.

Hilton signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys after waiting around on the free-agent market this season. He played 10 productive seasons for the Colts, but capped things off in Indianapolis with his worst performance of 23 catches for 331 yards and three scores last season.

The Cowboys had been very publicly courting free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr. for the last month, in hopes that he had recovered enough from his ACL tear to contribute this season.

Reports leaked from the team that OBJ wasn’t, in fact, healthy enough to significantly impact the team, although team owner Jerry Jones said on Sunday that they were still looking at the former Giant as an option.

Hilton visited the Cowboys at the Star facility on Monday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

In 10 seasons with Indianapolis, Hilton had 9,691 receiving yards, 53 touchdowns and 631 receptions. The Miami native was a third-round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft out of FIU.

Cowboys lose RT Terence Steele

The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly lost starting offensive tackle Terence Steele to a torn ACL. Steele left Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans and had an MRI on Monday.

According to a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Steele suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the season. Todd Archer of ESPN NFL Nation reported that Steele also suffered an MCL tear, according to a source.

Following Steele’s injury on Saturday, Jason Peters took over at right tackle. He’ll presumably be involved going forward, though Rapoport notes the Cowboys should get tackle Tyron Smith back soon from the injured reserve.