As a pending restricted free agent, Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey does not have a contract for next season. It isn’t for lack of effort on the Cowboys’ part. The team has presented Aubrey an offer that would make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS reports.
The length of the Cowboys’ proposal isn’t known, but they offered Aubrey around $7.5MM per year, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. With Aubrey seeking nearly $10MM per annum, there is a sizable gap between the two sides. Despite that, talks have been “positive,” Watkins writes. Their discussions date back to the summer.
The Chiefs’ Harrison Butker leads all kickers in total money, average annual value and guarantees on the extension he signed in August 2024. Butker was 29 when he agreed to a four-year, $25.6MM deal with $17.75MM in guarantees. Aubrey will play his age-31 season in 2026, though it works in his favor that the cap has risen significantly since Butker re-upped with the Chiefs.
Despite his advanced age, Aubrey is only a three-year NFL veteran. He began his professional athlete career as a soccer player before changing sports. After Aubrey spent two seasons with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, the Cowboys brought in Aubrey in July 2023. The move has been a huge success for both parties.
Aubrey, who has gone to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons, owns an 88.2% success rate (112 of 127 ) and a 97% mark on extra points (126 of 130). He nailed a career-best 65-yard try in 2024 and followed it up with a 64-yarder in 2025. But after hitting 94.7% of his field goals in his first year, he checked in just over 85% in each of the past two seasons.
In knocking in 36 of 42 kicks in 2025, Aubrey finished 21st in the league in conversion rate (85.7%). As of now, the Cowboys don’t believe that’s worth $10MM per year. They have other expensive priorities to address, including the future of pending free agent wide receiver George Pickens. The Cowboys will also focus on much-needed defensive upgrades this offseason.
If Dallas doesn’t have a new pact in place for Aubrey, the team figures to place either a first- or second-round tender on him by the March 11 deadline. Going the first-round route would cost a projected $8.11MM, while the second-rounder would come in at $5.81MM.
With what money? 50 mil plus in the red as of now. Where is this money coming from?
Clark is likely cut. Pickens is likely extended, which would bring his immediate cap hit down. Quinnen likely too. Throw in a couple of restructures and it’s very doable. $7 million would easily be the top kicker salary, so it’s not like trying to shoehorn in Trey Hendrickson or something.
They could probably trade Clark instead of cutting him. But yes to the rest.
Clark is 20 mil, Pickens would be another 20. Thats only 40 of the 70 they need. Restructure Dak would bring another 30 and you’re even. Need 20 mil or so for draft picks, especially with the additional 1st they have.
It’s thin there any way you slice it.
They can restructure Odighizuwa too. Same with Lamb and Smith. They’ve all got big base salaries this year that aren’t hard to restructure. Fitting in a big salary by kicker standards isn’t the hard part.
We won’t pay parsons but we’ll sure as heck pay our kicker
– Jerry Jones
I mean he’s probably going to get about $100 million less in guarantees.