The real-life cowboy barely got a chance to saddle up with America’s Team. Now he’s already leaving the ranch.
Wide receiver James Washington is being cut by the Cowboys, as per a Wednesday tweet from NFL insider Ian Rapoport, who cited a source. The 26-year-old was signed in March and was expected to play a large role in the Dallas passing attack this season after the Amari Cooper trade.
But a training camp foot fracture landed him on injured reserve to start the season; he was not made active until Dec. 10. He made his 2022 debut in the team’s Week 14 game versus Houston and also played in the Week 15 loss to Jacksonville. He had been a healthy scratch the past two games.
With the emergence of newly signed WR TY Hilton, the #Cowboys are releasing WR James Washington, source said. He’s healthy and has played in two games this year for Dallas. He heads to waivers and could be claimed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2023
Washington played a total of 15 snaps for the Cowboys. He did not record a catch and was targeted with one pass.
The 2018 second-round draft pick and Texas native spent his first four pro seasons in Pittsburgh after an All-American career as an Oklahoma State Cowboy. After signing a one-year deal with his favorite childhood team, Washington missed his first media call with Cowboys reporters… because an unexpected delivery of hay showed up at his 40-acre ranch near Abilene.
It seemed like a match that was destined to be.
But the signing of T.Y. Hilton just two days after Washington was made active left both in unfamiliar territory as the team appeared to let the veterans battle for playing time and looks from Dak Prescott.
Hilton clearly won that showdown, with a highlight-reel 52-yard catch to convert a critical 3rd-and-30 in his Dallas debut and another four receptions- three of them for first downs- versus Tennessee.
Washington will now head to waivers and look to latch on with another club.
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