There will be a couple of tough decisions for the Dallas Cowboys to make this offseason when it comes to pending free agents.
Over the past two years, they’ve extended quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. They were unable to come to terms with Micah Parsons, which led to a blockbuster trade.
This offseason, there will be two more key players set for free agency: wide receiver George Pickens and kicker Brandon Aubrey. Ideally, the Cowboys would be able to keep both players, but it won’t be easy to do with so many players already extended.
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The good news is that they’re already considering their options. Recent reports suggest they could use the franchise tag on Pickens to buy time. As for Aubrey, NFL insider Ian Rapoport says they’re already dipping their toes into talks.
“Dallas has dipped its toes into contract talks with Aubrey, sources say, but those talks have not come to fruition and will be handled in the offseason. Dallas could also use a restricted free agent tender on Aubrey, with the second-round tender expected to be worth more than $5.6 million for one year. A team trying to pry him away from Dallas would then have to give up a second-round selection to do so.”
Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey kicks a field goal during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers. / Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Aubrey has become one of the most accurate kickers in the game. He’s also capable of hitting from beyond 60 yards with ease, which makes him a valuable piece of their offensive puzzle.
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While it won’t be cheap to lock him up, it would be far easier to fit his maximum salary under the cap. Currently, the highest-paid kicker in the NFL is Harrison Butker, who signed a four-year, $25.6 million extension in 2024.
That’s an average of $6.4 million, which isn’t chump change, but the Cowboys should be more than willing to pay a similar average to keep Aubrey around.
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