The Dallas Cowboys aren’t waiting until free agency starts next month to get their roster together for the 2026 season. Last week, Dallas re-signed veteran running back Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24 million deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed.
With Williams out of the way, Dallas can now turn its attention to standout George Pickens and All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey. The Cowboys are hoping to get a deal done quickly with Aubrey, who has become one of the best kickers in the league with his power and accuracy.
However, that hasn’t been the case as negotiations haven’t gone smoothly. On Monday, Dallas EVP Stephen Jones told reporters that the Cowboys had contract talks with Aubrey before the 2025 season started, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.
If the Cowboys don’t figure something out soon with Aubrey, he’ll become a restricted free agent when the new league year begins in March. And at that point, the Cowboys would be in a tough spot.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that the standout kicker is holding up negotiations. According to Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS, the Cowboys have an offer on the table that would make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in the league. However, the Pro Bowl kicker wants more than what the franchise has offered.
Brandon Aubrey Playing Hardball with Cowboys as Free Agency Looms
Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs is currently the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, with an AAV of $6.4 million. Butker signed a four-year, $25.6 million contract extension in August 2024.
Since Butker’s four-year extension with the Chiefs, five other kickers have signed extensions, including Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers, who inked a four-year, $22M deal with a $5.5M AAV. Dicker has the third-highest total value and AAV among kickers.
Philadelphia Eagles veteran kicker Jake Elliott has the second-highest total value ($24M on his four-year extension) and AAV ($6M). Aubrey and his representation are seeing this and likely believe that he deserves to reset the market in a big way.
According to Spotrac, Aubrey’s market value is a four-year, $26.5 million deal with an AAV of $6.5 million, which would make him the highest-paid kicker if Dallas gave him that deal.
However, if he’s still not accepting Dallas’ offer, which in theory would exceed Butker’s deal, the standout kicker could be holding out for $7 million per season. If it isn't the average annual value holding things up, perhaps it could come down to guaranteed money, but these are just guesses at this point.
That said, what we do know is that Aubrey has become a weapon for the Cowboys over the last three years. There aren't many kickers with a leg like Aubrey's, which makes field goals from 60 or more yards a different conversation for an offense.
Since joining the Cowboys in 2023 after a successful stint in the USFL, Aubrey has made 35 of 44 field goals (79.5 percent) from 50-plus yards, with his longest made field goal coming from 65 yards in the 2025 campaign.
With free agency quickly approaching, Dallas likely hopes it can get a deal done soon because it can’t afford to lose a weapon like Aubrey, who gives them an advantage in many games.