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USATSI

The Dallas Cowboys are adding a veteran wide receiver to the mix for the playoff stretch -- but it's not Odell Beckham Jr. On Monday, the Cowboys announced that they had signed former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. It is a one-year deal, per multiple reports. 

The 33-year-old has spent his entire career with the Colts, but his contract expired last year, and he remained unsigned up to this point. Last season for the Colts, Hilton caught 23 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games played.

The Florida International product was selected by the Colts in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Hilton made four straight Pro Bowls from 2014-17, and led the NFL in receiving yards in 2016 with 1,448. It was one of his five career 1,000-yard campaigns. Hilton left the Colts as the franchise's third-leading receiver with 9,691 yards on 631 receptions. 

Hilton joins an offense that averages the third-most points per game in the NFL (27.7). He provides another option for quarterback Dak Prescott, and is someone who could potentially help improve what is statistically the No. 20 passing offense in the NFL.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Josina Anderson reports that the Cowboys signing Hilton does not mean they've moved on from OBJ. As for why Hilton was signed at this time as opposed to Beckham, Anderson was told it was because Hilton can play "right now." The Cowboys reportedly feel unsure of how long the tail-end of OBJ's rehab will take, but that the two sides are "still talking."

The 10-3 Cowboys currently sit in second place in the NFC East behind the 12-1 Philadelphia Eagles, but hold the NFC's top wild-card spot over the 7-5-1 Washington Commanders and New York Giants.