Dallas Cowboys: What is wrong with kicker Dan Bailey?

Since returning from a groin injury, Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey has been a shell of himself. What is going on and can he fix it by next season?

Prior to the start of the 2017 NFL regular season, the Dallas Cowboys most dependable player and most consistent scoring weapon was kicker Dan Bailey. With the season now in the books, there are some major questions to be answered concerning Bailey’s future in Dallas.

Entering his seventh season in the NFL, Bailey was considered the most accurate kicker in league history. And through the first half of the season, that title rang true. Bailey was perfect. He connected on all seven of his field goal attempts including a massive 56-yarder against the Denver Broncos in Week Two.

And when it came to extra points, Bailey was the very definition of precision, never having missed a single one in his entire career. And the first half of 2017 was no different, as the 29-year old kicker booted a perfect 16 of 16. And that was despite dealing with a sore back.

But in the Cowboys Week Seven matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, Bailey injured his groin in the first quarter and had to leave the game. It forced Dallas’ offense to go for a two point conversion early on and safety Jeff Heath to make his kicking debut. Heath would connect on two of his three extra point attempts as well as take over kickoff duties.

The groin injury would force Bailey to miss the Cowboys next four games. Dallas signed veteran kicker Mike Nugent in his place. Nugent made seven of his nine field goal attempts and went a perfect 8 for 8 on extra points.

Bailey returned in Week 12, and the following game went 1-1 on field goals and connected on all five of his extra point attempts. The NFL’s most consistent kicker had returned to form.

Suddenly, the wheels came off. Against the New York Giants in Week 14, Bailey missed two of his three field goal attempts. He also missed his first extra point attempt ever! Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would go on to tell the media Bailey was dealing with a minor hamstring injury. Unfortunately, the veteran kicker’s struggles would continue.

Following his return from a groin injury, Bailey would miss a total of five field goals and two extra point attempts in Dallas’ final five games of the regular season. In Week 17, against the Philadelphia Eagles, Bailey missed a gimme 23-yard field goal attempt and shanked the Cowboys only extra point try of the 6-0 ballgame.

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So, what is wrong with Dan Bailey? Maybe it’s purely a health issue. If that’s the case, than a full offseason of rest and rehabilitation should do the trick. But if it’s something more, something mental or a lack of confidence, we’re dealing with a whole different animal here. We’ve seen some of the most accurate kickers in the NFL suddenly lose their mental edge and quickly find themselves unemployed. Let’s hope Dan Bailey can fix whatever is ailing him this offseason.