Over the last several weeks, the Dallas Cowboys have been locked in prolonged contract talks with their All-Pro kicker, Brandon Aubrey, and a clearer picture is finally emerging of where things stand, even if no agreement has been reached yet.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones faced questions at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine about Dallas‘ attempts to retain one of the league’s most dynamic specialists.
“We’ve been in talks with Aubrey even before the season started,” Jones said, admitting that although no deal has been finalized, both sides have been actively negotiating for months.
“It’s been a journey, but we haven’t been able to get to a point where we can all agree. Haven’t gotten done, but we’d love to get him done.”
And in a recent interview with Brandon Loree, Jones said: “I believe we can get a deal done with Brandon…we’ll continue to roll up our sleeves and hopefully maybe who knows maybe we can get this thing done in the next week to 10 days.”
Aubrey‘s place in Dallas is unlike most kickers around the NFL. The 30-year-old has consistently delivered long field goals, including multiple 60-plus yard makes, and is widely regarded as among the most reliable and powerful-legged kickers in the league.
However, the financial details remain a sticking point.
According to multiple reports, Aubrey‘s camp has been linked to a contract figure near $10 million per year, a sum that would eclipse the current benchmark for NFL kickers.
That figure has been widely circulated but was directly denied by Aubrey himself on social media, where he and his wife labeled such reports “fake” and “false.” His agent, Todd France, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that misinformation can spread quickly during events like the Combine.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are said to have countered with a deal that would still make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in history, but not at the rumored $10 million AAV level.
Various sources believe that Dallas‘ offer sits below that threshold, with the club holding the negotiating leverage afforded by Aubrey‘s status as a restricted free agent.
What a tender means and why Dallas holds the cards
Because Aubrey is a restricted free agent, Dallas retains the ability to use a tender to keep him for the upcoming season even without a long-term deal.
The franchise could place either a first- or second-round tender on the kicker, allowing the Cowboys either to match any outside offer or receive draft pick compensation should he sign elsewhere.
That leverage shifts the dynamic compared with typical unrestricted free agency. Teams rarely let a player with that benefit walk away without compensation, and Dallas appears prepared to use it if necessary rather than rush into an overpay.
The reality of the club’s salary cap situation also plays into that calculus: the Cowboys are carrying limited cap space while juggling other priority negotiations, including a potential franchise tag for wide receiver George Pickens.
Either way, Aubrey is expected to be kicking for the Cowboys in 2026, even if the terms of that partnership aren’t fully settled yet.