The NFL Free Agency period won’t officially begin until Wednesday, March 11th. But that hasn’t prevented some pretty big trades from taking place over the past week. Former Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby is now with the Baltimore Ravens. Detroit Lions’ talented running back David Montgomery has a new home with the Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears’ wide receiver D.J. Moore will become a popular target in Buffalo for Josh Allen.
Some of the trades had been predicted for quite a while. Crosby was a long-rumored target, and rumors about Montgomery recently surfaced. But in the midst of all the trade noise, other teams are frantically trying to extend their key franchise free agents before the deadline.
Cowboys and Aubrey Fail to Reach Agreement on New Contract
Over the weekend, one highly anticipated extension failed to materialize. Dallas Cowboys’ three-time Pro Bowl kicker Brandon Aubrey (Birmingham Stallions), who was widely expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid kicker, didn’t sign a new contract.
Currently, Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker is the NFL’s highest-paid kicker. His $25.6 million, four-year deal averages out to a league-leading $6.4 million per year. However, based on his consistently superior performance, Aubrey was projected to top that figure. He’s certainly done enough to warrant the pay hike.
Why Aubrey Deserves to Be the NFL’s Highest-Paid Kicker
60-plus-yard field goals have become the new NFL standard. With a total of six, Aubrey holds the NFL record for the most 60-plus-yard boots. He also holds the record for the NFL’s second-longest field goal at 65 yards. Two years ago, Aubrey memorably made the news cycles by splitting the uprights with a 66-yarder in a preseason game.
In addition to his long-distance kicking talent, Aubrey is also one of the NFL’s most accurate and reliable kickers. He has an average of 88.2% record in field goals (112/127) and a 96.9% average in extra points (126/130).
Aubrey’s superior performance over the past three years has earned him the right to demand a contract that surpasses Butker’s. But apparently, despite Dallas allegedly offering Aubrey a contract topping Butker’s, the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
This isn’t entirely unexpected. Every year, Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones stirs controversy and drama with Dallas’ free agent contract negotiations. Training camp spectacles and holdouts are not exactly uncommon in Dallas.
What Aubrey’s Tender Offer Means
Instead, the Cowboys are placing a second-round tender offer on Aubrey. Without a new contract, he becomes a free agent and can entertain competitive offers from other teams. If Aubrey does remain in Dallas under the terms of his old contract, he is scheduled to make $5.76 million this season. While it’s hardly chump change, it’s clearly not the price point Aubrey’s seeking in a new multi-year agreement.
Aubrey’s talents will undoubtedly be of interest to NFL teams seeking a change at kicker. If another NFL team makes a competitive offer, Dallas retains the right of first refusal. However, if the Cowboys choose not to match the offer, then the other team must give Dallas a compensatory second-round draft pick in exchange for Dallas releasing Aubrey.
How will this all shake out? Will the Cowboys eventually reach an agreement with Aubrey? Or, will the NFL’s top kicker soon be wearing a new NFL team uniform?