INDIANAPOLIS – When Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said Monday contract negotiations were like a “journey” with kicker Brandon Aubrey, he wasn’t talking about the length of the talks.
The Cowboys offered Aubrey the largest contract for a kicker in NFL history, according to a person with knowledge of the talks.
Aubrey, a restricted free agent, was offered a deal with an average salary of close to $7.5 million but is looking for nearly $10 million per season.
Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker has the largest contract at his position with an average salary of $6.4 million for a total value of $25.6 million.
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The Eagles’ Jake Elliott has the second-highest contract for a kicker in total value at $25.6 million with an average salary of $6 million.
Contract talks between Aubrey and the franchise are deemed positive but neither side is budging. Team officials opened contact talks with Aubrey’s agent before the start of the 2025 season and things haven’t progressed.
Aubrey has been named to the Pro Bowl in three of his NFL seasons and was elected to an All-Pro team. Last season, Aubrey converted 85.7% of his field goal tries.
In a loss at Detroit, he became the first NFL kicker to make three field goals of 55 or more yards. He also made three field goals of 60 or more yards, the first time a kicker has accomplished that in a single season in league history.
It seems Cowboys’ officials have the leverage over Aubrey because they can place either a first-round or second-round tender on him. The projections for both tenders, first-round ($8.107 million) and second-round ($5.811), are significant raises for Aubrey, who came out of nowhere to earn the kicking job three seasons ago.
He’s considered one of the best kickers in the NFL and an asset the coaching staff utilizes because of his long range.
“We’ve been working on a long-term deal for some time,” Jones told The Dallas Morning News on Sunday. “We’ve exchanged offers and the goal is to get him signed.”
But Jones’ comments to a group of reporters the next day indicated talks have been going for a while but not flourishing enough that would secure a deal.
“We’ve been in talks with Aubrey for even before the season started,” Jones said on Monday. “It’s been a journey but we hadn’t been able to get to a point where we can all agree so hadn’t got it done, love to get it done. “
Aubrey is part of a quartet of players the team is trying to lock-up long-term. Running back Javonte Williams agreed to terms on a three-year deal before the NFL scouting combine started.
Wide receiver George Pickens enters free agency but team officials will place a franchise tag on him. Pickens’ agents are scheduled to meet with the Cowboys this week.
Pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who led the team in sacks in 2025, is another player the team is contemplating re-signing, but he might not fit the new defensive scheme.
Of course, having Aubrey on the team isn’t a concern because of the mechanisms at the Cowboys disposal with the tenders.
Aubrey is represented by Todd France, who has done numerous contracts with team officials, including quarterback Dak Prescott.
France didn’t immediately respond for comment regarding Aubrey’s contract talks.
When Prescott signed his contract extension in September 2024, he got the highest average salary, $60 million, in NFL history.
In recent years, Dallas has inked some players to the highest contracts at their position in league history, from Prescott, Zack Martin and Tyler Smith at guard and potentially Aubrey.
Jones wouldn’t say if a deal is forthcoming this week with any of their prospective free agents.
The biggest concern for the Cowboys is making sure Pickens is finalized at some point this offseason because of his goal of getting a long-term contract. Cowboys’ officials want to sign Pickens to a contract extension, but with the franchise tag available to them, he’s not going anywhere.
The same can be said of Aubrey because of the tenders. But getting the largest contract for a kicker in league history is saying something how the club values Aubrey.
The one thing both sides can agree on is he should become the highest-paid kicker in league history. But how much? That’s still to be negotiated.
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