It's not often that a contract for an NFL kicker becomes a big story. That said, though, not every NFL kicker is Brandon Aubrey, who's been one of the biggest offensive weapons for the Dallas Cowboys since making his way into the league in 2023.
Now, for those who haven't been following along, Aubrey became a restricted free agent this offseason, which meant the Cowboys could either place a one-year tender on him or just let him walk out the door as a unrestricted free agent.
That second option was obviously never going to be a thing, so Dallas decided to place the $5.767 million second-round tender on the 31-year-old. As a restricted free agent, he had the right to negotiate with other clubs, and if one of those clubs gave him an offer sheet, the Cowboys could match. And if they declined, they'd receive a second-round pick from the team that signed him.
But as the team's official website has announced, the deadline for teams to offer Aubrey an offer sheet has now officially passed, which means that unless something drastic happens, the three-time Pro Bowler will don a star on the side of his helmet in 2026.
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey only has limited options for the 2026 season
So, where does this leave Aubrey? Well, he really doesn't have all that many options.
For starters, of course, he simply signs his tender and earns the aforementioned $5.767 million for the 2026 season, which would give him the second-highest base salary for a kicker, trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs' Harrison Butker, who's set to collect $5.805 million.
Aubrey, who already owns the record for the most field goals of 60 yards or longer in league history with six, could also continue to negotiate with the Cowboys on a long-term extension.
Jerry Jones went on record at the NFL Scouting Combine that there was an offer on the table that would make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in the league, with reports saying that the offer was for $7 million per season. It's also been reported that Aubrey's agent, Todd France, was seeking a deal for $10 million per season. It's not currently known if Jones' offer is still on the table.
Lastly, and fans are obviously hoping things don't come to this, Aubrey could request a trade. Even there, though, the Cowboys would have to give him permission to seek one, and one wouldn't think Jones would allow such a thing to transpire, not unless he was sure the return would be worth it.
So, again, unless something drastic happens, Aubrey will be wearing a Cowboys uniform in 2026. But let's not forget that last year, the world said that unless something drastic happens, Micah Parsons would be wearing a Cowboys uniform in 2025. And we all know how that turned out.
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