The Dallas Cowboys placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on George Pickens and don’t appear motivated to finalize a long-term deal anytime soon, leaving Brandon Aubrey as the lone item on the contract agenda before free agency opens next week.
It would be more surprising than not if Aubrey and Dallas don't agree to an extension, but with each passing day, the angst continues to build.
In a perfect world, the Cowboys won't have to place a restricted free agent tender on their star kicker, but it's in the realm of possibility since negotiations are ongoing. One thing is for certain, and it's that Aubrey does not want to be tendered (h/t Joseph Hoyt, The Dallas Morning News).
"Obviously, the tender is what the Cowboys have talked about. It's a good problem to have. It's a good amount of money. It's a big pay raise for me from before, but it's not ideal for any player ...," Aubrey said.
It's been reported that Dallas could place the second-round tender on Aubrey. It's valued at upwards of $5.8 million and would serve as a one-year contract.
Brandon Aubrey does not want to be tendered by the Dallas Cowboys
Unfortunately for Aubrey, it isn't his call whether the Cowboys tender him. If both sides can't reach a middle ground, Dallas won't have any choice.
If tendered, Aubrey can sign an offer sheet with another team. If the Cowboys do not match it, they'd be entitled to a second-round pick from Aubrey's new team.
That'd be highly unlikely, as kickers are usually drafted no earlier than the fifth round. Here's a look at the recent highest-drafted kickers.
Kicker | Year drafted | Team | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
Andres Borregales | 2025 | Patriots | 6th |
Will Reichard | 2024 | Vikings | 6th |
Jake Moody | 2023 | 49ers | 3rd |
Cade York | 2022 | Browns | 4th |
Evan McPherson | 2021 | Bengals | 5th |
Justin Rohrwasser | 2020 | Patriots | 5th |
Moody is the extreme outlier in that group, and he lasted less than three seasons in San Francisco. Generally speaking, the best kickers are found on Day 3 or in the undrafted pool.
The Chargers' Cameron Dicker and the Jaguars' Cam Little are considered to be in Aubrey's class, or just a tick below. Dicker wasn't drafted, while Little was taken in the sixth round. Aubrey, meanwhile, was kicking in the USFL when the Cowboys' scout team stumbled upon him.
The big difference here is that the acquiring team knows what they're getting with Aubrey. Very few kickers are in range when their offense crosses midfield, and Aubrey is one of them, as he holds the NFL record with five made field goals from 60 yards or longer.
Teams would be lining up to sign Aubrey if he reached the open market, but unless a team is willing to fork over a second-round pick, he'll be under team control through 2026.
However, the tender has the potential to disgruntle Aubrey, and there's no telling how that could affect his play. An extension is in the best interest of both sides.