Brandon Aubrey was never even supposed to be a football player. Working as a software engineer, after going from a first-round pick in the 2017 MLS Draft to retiring after two seasons to stay closer to his newlywed wife in Dallas, it was an offhanded comment from Jenn Aubrey that got the placekicker thinking. “You could do that,” she said when watching a kicker booting a field goal during NFL RedZone. And that’s all it took for Aubrey to go from touching a football for the first time in 2019 to now becoming one of the best. But, as they say, even the best are not immune to contract drama in the NFL.

After pulling off yet another elite season where he made 36 of his 42 field-goal tries and converted 47 of 48 extra-point attempts in 17 games this past season, Jerry Jones and Aubrey have locked horns on how much the latter is worth. Last month, the Dallas Cowboys reportedly offered the player a contract worth just under $7 million that could make him the highest-paid placekicker in NFL history. That’s evidently much less than the reported $10 million contract the 30-year-old is looking for. So, Jerry Jones did what he could to salvage the situation.

As per reports, the Cowboys have placed a second-round, $5.76 million tender on Aubrey this Saturday. With this, the 30-year-old may have the ball in his court, but the score will land with Dallas. Here’s how:

• Aubrey can now sign with another team that is willing to give him the offer he is looking for. The Cowboys, however, have the right to match the same and keep the placekicker in Dallas.
• Aubrey can sign with another team. In that case, Dallas will receive a second-round pick. The Cowboys currently hold first-round No. 12 and 20 picks but none in the second-round due to the trade for Quinnen Williams.
• In case Aubrey does not like any other offers on the table, he will return to Dallas on a $5.76 million deal for 2026, about half the price he’s asking for and lower than what Dallas is already offering him. The Cowboys will have more plans moving ahead if this scenario turns true.

Notably, if Aubrey is forced to return to Dallas, the Cowboys can further put a franchise tag on him. It will not only keep him on the team for the 2027 season but also off the market.

If he continues to deliver in the capacity he has in the last three years, where he got Pro Bowl nods for putting up historical numbers, Dallas can also offer him a new contract that could match his then-asking price. But why would Jerry Jones, a man who could trade Micah Parsons in a heartbeat, go to these lengths to retain Aubrey? Well, the numbers speak for themselves.

In three Pro-Bowl seasons at Dallas, Aubrey has converted 88.2% of his field goals (112 of 127) and 96.9% of his extra points (126 of 130), while also making 35 field goals of 50-plus yards with a 79.5% success rate. Additionally, on kicks from 50 yards or longer, the player went 36 of 42. In fact, last season, Aubrey also became the first NFL kicker to make three field goals of 55 or more yards. What’s more, in an instance that the first in a single season in league history, Aubrey also made three field goals of 60 or more yards, including a 65-yard career best. Aubrey is tied Kansas City Chiefs‘  Harrison Butker for being the quickest to 100 field goals (47 games).

“I think he’s outstanding,” Jerry Jones expectedly said. “Love his story, love the fact that the story is with the Cowboys. We feel good that what we are talking about is an appreciation of what he can do for us. That’s a way of, not trying to negotiate with anything I might say here, but we’ve got a good offer on the table for him.”

As for Aubrey, looks like he’s enjoying the process.

“When you hit that restricted free agency, if you’re not testing the market, then you’re not doing what’s right for you and your family,” Aubrey told The Dallas Morning News earlier this week. “So you have to do that, if that’s what it comes to. Obviously, the tender is what the Cowboys have talked about, and it’s a good problem to have. It’s a good amount of money, and it’s a big pay raise from before, but it’s not the ideal for any player. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited to be in this position. It’s an opportunity for me. So, I’m thankful for that.”

That said, so far, the LA Rams, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins lead the race for the placekicker. The Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders may also be in the equation.

Aubrey was not alone in getting the second-round tender placed on him.

Restricted free agent offensive lineman T.J. Bass was also given a second-round tender yesterday. Bass has been a reliable backup option at guard for the team. He also played at the center for some snaps last season, and the team is looking to sign him to a multi-year deal.

In any way, the Cowboys might be ready to give Aubrey what he is looking for as they have saved at least $66 million with restructures before the free agency begins on March 11, 4 pm ET.

For now, the leverage clearly sits with the Cowboys. Whether Aubrey ultimately stays in Dallas or ends up elsewhere.  Once free agency kicks off, Aubrey is likely to receive offers from certain teams.

Why did the Cowboys place a second-round tender on Brandon Aubrey?

Brandon Aubrey has been one of the best kickers not just for the Cowboys. So, the expectation around the league has largely been that the Cowboys would keep him in Dallas. Which naturally raises the question: If that’s the case, why would Jerry Jones place a second-round tender on him? At least publicly, the explanation seems fairly simple, as addressed by Executive Vice President Stephen Jones during the NFL Combine:

“It’s been a journey, but we hadn’t been able to get to a point where we can all agree, so it hadn’t gotten done. But we’d love to get him done,” Jones said.

On the surface, it does appear that the Cowboys and their star placekicker just haven’t landed on the right number yet. But there could be another layer to this decision.

Dallas currently does not own a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. So in a hypothetical scenario, if another team were to sign Aubrey to an offer sheet during free agency and the Cowboys chose not to match it, Dallas would receive a second-round pick as compensation, valuable draft capital they currently don’t have.

If that scenario were to play out, Aubrey would become just the second player to leave a team for a second-round pick as a restricted free agent. The last time something similar happened was back in 2007, when Wes Welker was traded from the Miami Dolphins to the New England Patriots in a deal involving second- and seventh-round picks.

For now, though, the situation remains unresolved. Several teams are expected to be in the market for a kicker once free agency begins. Whether any of them are willing to make an offer and potentially give up a second-round pick is something we’ll find out in less than a week.