The Cowboys surprised many NFL fans when they announced that they signed former Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton ahead of their Week 15 game against the Jaguars.
Hilton, 33, spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Colts. The 5-10, 183-pound receiver was largely an afterthought on the free agent market, but Dallas added him to provide depth in the receiver room.
That the Cowboys signed Hilton was viewed as somewhat surprising, as they had been presumed to be one of the top potential suitors for Odell Beckham Jr.
However, Dallas opted to first sign Hilton. Why? The prevailing theory was that he was more ready to play than Beckham, but that may not quite be the case.
Hilton isn't playing for the Cowboys in Week 15, just six days after signing with the team. He will be inactive in his first game in a Dallas uniform. Here's why.
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Why isn't T.Y. Hilton playing in Week 15 vs. Jaguars?
NFL Network's Bridget Condon reports that Hilton isn't active against the Jaguars, in part, because he is still familiarizing himself with the Dallas offense.
"[Hilton] said this week, it was about learning the playbook," Condon explained. "He even spent 10 hours a day learning all three wide receiver positions, but clearly not enough as he's not ready."
Hilton won't be available on the field for the Cowboys, but Condon reports that he will be at the game. He is hoping that he can help mentor Dallas' young receivers from the sidelines.
He chose the Cowboys because he wanted to be that veteran leader in the wide receiver room. He felt like they were missing that, a guy that could break down the game. He'll be able to do that today from the sidelines.
Condon also detailed that Hilton had offers from both the Ravens and Giants before choosing to sign with the Cowboys. He believed that team was most in need of a productive, veteran presence as they make a playoff push.
Hilton will get to showcase his leadership in Week 15, but he will have to wait until Week 16 against the Eagles to potentially make an impact on the field.
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Cowboys WR depth chart
With T.Y. Hilton out of action, here's a look at the Cowboys' wide receiver depth chart, which runs five deep.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | CeeDee Lamb |
| 2 | Michael Gallup |
| 3 | Noah Brown |
| 4 | James Washington |
| 5 | Kavontae Turpin |
Hilton isn't the only receiver who was inactive for Sunday's game. Rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert also found himself on the inactives list in Week 15.
