...
By Megan Armstrong
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Last week, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey and his wife, Jenn, shot down a report by ESPN's Todd Archer that detailed Aubrey's quest to become the NFL's highest-paid kicker.
Archer wrote, "The Cowboys have offered a deal for Aubrey that is more than the league-high $6.4 million average per season for Kansas City's Harrison Butker, sources told ESPN. However, Aubrey's agent, Todd France, has asked for a deal closer to $10 million per season, according to sources. The negotiations started last season but have not progressed."
Aubrey, 30, is a restricted free agent, and Archer additionally reported that the Cowboys will place the second-round tender on Aubrey if the two sides can't agree on a long-term extension.
Read More on NFL
Aubrey spoke about where things stand while attending the opening of the TOCA Social soccer home in The Colony.
...
"Obviously, the tender is what the Cowboys have talked about, and it’s a good problem to have,” Aubrey said, according to The Dallas Morning News' Joseph Hoyt. “It’s a good amount of money, and it’s a big pay raise from before, but it’s not ideal for any player. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited to be in this position. It’s an opportunity for me."
Aubrey added, "When you hit that restricted free agency, if you’re not testing the market, then you’re not doing what’s right for you and your family. So, you have to do that, if that’s what it comes to."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has called Aubrey "outstanding" and disclosed that he believes the team has "a good offer on the table for him." At the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis last week, Cowboys co-owner and executive vice president Stephen Jones told CBS' Jonathan Jones, "We'll see. I don't ever want to speculate. I believe we can get a deal done with Brandon. I feel very optimistic. We've made deals with Todd France. Sometimes, they take a little longer. He's also [quarterback] Dak [Prescott]'s agent."
The Cowboys found a diamond in the rough when they signed Aubrey to compete for their kicking job in July 2023. Aubrey came from the USFL's Birmingham Stallions and has a background in soccer. He played at Notre Dame and was Toronto FC's first-round selection in the 2017 Major League Soccer Draft, but his soccer career ended in 2018.
Since joining the Cowboys, Aubrey has become the NFL's best kicker. In 2023, he led the league with 36 made field goals, nailing 94.7% of his field goal attempts, en route to First Team All-Pro honors. In 2024, his 65-yard field goal was the longest hit by any kicker all season, and he nailed a 64-yarder last season. Aubrey was named to Second Team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons.
Because Aubrey all but came out of nowhere in 2023, he only signed a three-year deal worth $2.695 million. Some reports list the 2026 second-round tender at $5.7 million, others at $5.81 million, but either way, Aubrey wasn't lying when he said it would be a meaningful raise.
Still, a second-round tender would be a one-year placeholder — if that. As a restricted free agent, Aubrey can freely negotiate with any team, but the Cowboys retain the right to match any offer. If Aubrey agrees to terms with another team and Dallas doesn't match, the signing team would have to trade Dallas a second-round pick.
Teams are permitted to start negotiating with unrestricted free agents on March 9 at noon EST, and the new league year and free agency period will officially open on March 11. April 17 is the deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets, per the NFL.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines