FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys were the only team in the NFL that had not signed an external free agent, however that is no longer the case. Former Steelers’ wide receiver James Washington and native Texan is signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys.
Thus far in free agency, Dallas has retained their own. On Friday, the Cowboys made their first out of house signing – a player Dez Bryant predicted Dallas would acquire days earlier.
The Steelers selected Washington in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft but never hit his stride within the offense. In 60 games played for Pittsburgh, Washington tallied 114 receptions for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns over the course of four years. His best season came in 2019, where he caught 44 passes for 735 yards and three touchdowns. Washington’s numbers dropped as he found himself in a crowded Steelers’ depth chart behind Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Shuster.
The Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Browns and Cedrick Wilson signed with the Dolphins in free agency, so Washington will provide much-needed depth to the receiver corps. He joins a group featuring CeeDee Lamb as the No. 1 receiver and Michael Gallup, who could begin the season on the physically unable to perform list as he rehabs an ACL injury. Dallas re-signed Noah Brown and last year’s fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko returns after his rookie year.
