The Dallas Cowboys are in a contract stalemate with Brandon Aubrey, and it doesn't seem like Jerry Jones has done a good job bridging that gap. They used the second-round tender on him this offseason, but allowing the best kicker in football to play out the year on the tender is a huge mistake.
Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like they will find a middle ground any time soon. During the league meetings in Arizona, Jones that he's "satisfied" Aubrey signed the tender, and reassured the fans that the All-Pro is in the Cowboys' long-term plans (h/t Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram).
“I’m satisfied short of where we are with him signing the tender offer. I’m satisfied where we are there. …I’m not gonna get into what it would take b/c that’s obviously still subject of a negotiation, but we do have long-term plans (with Aubrey).”
Jones and the Cowboys clearly see his value if they want to make him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history, so if he has the same goal, what's the hold up? There is no reason to drag out this process when the end goal should be easy and the tender is a major pay raise for Aubrey in the short-term.
Brandon Aubrey might've screwed himself out of a long-term deal with the Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys reportedly offered Aubrey a long-term extension before the season that would've made him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, which he declined, Then they offered him another contract after the season, which he also declined, so the only person he has to blame is himself.
The 31-year-old's own stubbornness is the big problem with this process, but whether that's on him or his agent is unclear. Harrison Butker, the current highest-paid kicker in NFL history, only makes $6.4 million annually, and while Jones is willing to smash that number, $10 million for a kicker is wild.
Aubrey playing the season out on the tender is far from the most ideal scenario since it operates as a one-year, $5.8 million contract, so if they don't get a deal done, he'll likely hit free agency next offseason. The franchise tag could come into play in 2027 if a long-term deal isn't reached. So while there's still a lot of time for things to change, this update is far from ideal.
It's not like another team will sign him on the tender, as no one wants to give the Cowboys a second-round pick in order to sign him -- even if he's on a historic pace right now. The only option right now is a long-term extension, but the longer the two sides wait, the larger the divide between them gets.
So if Aubrey and Jones continue their game of chicken, the All-Pro is going to play out next season on the tender.