Dallas Cowboys Make Contract Decision On Star Kicker Brandon Aubrey
When you’re a kicker, and you turn down a contract offer that would make you the highest-paid kicker in NFL history, you’re playing a very dangerous game. Brandon Aubrey just found out exactly how dangerous.
On Saturday, the Dallas Cowboys officially placed a second-round tender on Aubrey, locking him in at $5.76 million for the 2026 season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Aubrey can still sign an offer sheet with another team, but Dallas has the right to match it. If they walk away? They pocket a second-round pick. Simple math, brutal outcome.
For Aubrey, this stings. He’s one of the best kickers in the league, and he knows it. But knowing your worth and successfully negotiating your worth are two very different things.
How the Cowboys Got Here
This saga has been simmering since the NFL Combine, and it’s been equal parts dramatic and confusing. Reports swirled that Dallas offered Aubrey $7.5 million per year. That is a number that would have shattered Harrison Butker’s $6.4 million APY ceiling and made Aubrey the richest kicker in league history. That report was later walked back, though multiple sources confirmed the Cowboys did make an offer designed to top the market.
Aubrey’s camp, meanwhile, was reportedly pushing for something closer to $10 million per year. Nobody is questioning what Aubrey brings to the table. The man went 36-for-42 on field goal attempts last season, including 11-for-17 from beyond 50 yards. He’s the NFL’s all-time leader in field goals from 60-plus yards. He converted 88.2% of his career attempts while consistently leading the league in long-range attempts.
The credentials are real. The résumé is legitimate. But asking for $10 million when the market high is $6.4 million? That’s not negotiating, that’s a Hail Mary from midfield.
What the Second-Round Tender Actually Means For the Cowboys
Here’s the part where Cowboys fans can breathe again. By placing the second-round tender, Dallas essentially called Aubrey’s bluff. No team in their right mind surrenders a second-round pick for a kicker. It just doesn’t happen. The Cowboys know this. Aubrey’s agent knows this. The whole NFL knows this.
So what does Aubrey do now? He plays out the season at $5.76 million, and the Cowboys hold all the leverage. They can still negotiate a long-term extension with him directly. They can match any offer sheet that comes in The Cowboys came into this situation with a pretty weak hand and somehow ended up holding all the cards.
The Bigger Picture For Dallas
This offseason hasn’t been easy on Cowboys fans. Dallas watched the Ravens swoop in and land Maxx Crosby right in front of them in exchange for two first-round picks. The Cowboys reportedly offered a first and a second. Baltimore countered with two firsts. Game over.
Losing out on Crosby hurts. The Cowboys have real defensive needs and a shrinking window with Dak Prescott under center. But securing Aubrey is something. A reliable, elite kicker is not a luxury item. In a league where games are regularly decided by three points, having the best long-range kicker in football matters.
What Happens Next
The legal tampering period kicks off Monday, March 9. Free agency officially opens March 11. Dallas has roughly $9.7 million in cap space to work with, which isn’t much. Every dollar counts.
The Cowboys will need to be smart and creative. They’ll likely keep hunting for pass rush help. Trey Hendrickson’s name has been floating around Cowboys circles ever since the Crosby deal fell through. And the 2026 NFL Draft offers another avenue, with prospects like Cashius Howell and Jermod McCoy projected as realistic targets for Dallas in the first round.
As for Aubrey, his next move is limited. He can hold out hope that some team falls in love with him enough to surrender a second-round pick, but that’s a long shot and everyone in the building knows it. More likely, he suits up for the Cowboys in 2026, kicks the ball to the moon, and negotiates again next offseason when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
