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Locked On Cowboys - Daily Podcast On The Dallas Cowboys
CONTRACT: Cowboys Face Brandon Aubrey Contract Tug-of-War—Will Dallas RESET the Kicker Market?
00:13:06
The Dallas Cowboys face a pivotal decision as All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey seeks a market-resetting extension. With Aubrey emerging as one of the NFL’s best, will the Cowboys pay up, play him on a second-round tender, or explore a blockbuster trade? Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool break down the high-stakes contract negotiations, the risks of investing in a record-setting kicker, and the potential impact on the NFL’s most expensive offense.
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- [00:00]
Marcus Mosher
Foreign.
- [00:05]
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Marcus Mosher
power.
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- [01:12]
Marcus Mosher
Brandon Aubrey is a restricted free agent and this one is not as cut and dry as many people think. We'll tell you why next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network.
- [01:33]
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Your team every day.
- [01:37]
Marcus Mosher
Welcome back to the Locked On Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network. Your team every day. We'd like to thank you for making us the number one sports podcast network. I am your host, Marcus Mosher. He is Lana McCool. And on today's show we're discussing Brandon Aubrey, the Cowboys All Pro kicker who is eligible for a contract extension. Now he's a restricted free agent. Stephen Jones mentioned that they would like to get a deal done, but it doesn't sound like anything is close at all. Land. What what do you think is going to happen here? Because this is not as clean as I think many people expect it to be.
- [02:15]
Landon McCool
I, I still would say that I think a deal gets done, but I also think that if they, you know, Stephen Jones said that they've been working on this deal for like over a year and they still haven't kind of figured it out. So, I mean, there is a chance that we should at least have the conversation of what happens if this doesn't get done.
- [02:37]
Marcus Mosher
Can we recklessly speculate why we don't think the deal's gotten done?
- [02:40]
Landon McCool
Yeah, please, why don't you leave?
- [02:42]
Marcus Mosher
Because I think it's very similar to the Micah Parsons situation last year where this is a contract that is going to reset the market. The highest paid kicker in the NFL right now is that Harrison Butler. I believe 6.4 million per year and Aubry has been significantly better over the last three years. So I don't think this is just as simple as, okay, let's give them a half a million more deals done. I think Aubry is going to want to completely reset the market and I'm not sure how or what that number would even look like.
- [03:15]
Landon McCool
Yeah, I mean, I think, I think that, that Jerry has done deals like that before. I think the Parsons situation got too personal. We'll see if the, if the, hopefully the Aubry situation doesn't get like that. But I do think that in the sense that it's, it turns the, the notch up on Jerry's competitive, competitive juices a little bit when it's negotiating time. I do agree with that and I think it makes him maybe a little bit more hard headed to, you know, because I just don't think he, I think he doesn't want to be the guy that gave up the contract that resets the market. Right. Like, they always look back, who was it? Who was it that. Was it Russell Wilson that got that first kind of fully guaranteed contract? And everybody and everyone like got so mad about. I think secretly the, all the owners were pretty upset about him getting that deal.
- [04:05]
Marcus Mosher
Wells and. But yes.
- [04:07]
Landon McCool
Yeah, well, I think that's the one. McNair. I'm sorry, that's the one I was actually thinking of. Right. Like, I think that, that Jerry doesn't want to be. That doesn't want to be that guy that all the other owners are looking at going, what an idiot. Why did he market for. Of all things, right?
- [04:22]
Marcus Mosher
Like, they've already done that a couple times with Dak Prescott, right. That was two years ago. Nobody's beating that contract yet.
- [04:29]
Landon McCool
It's, it's like, it's like, you know, grasping sand in your hand, right? It's like it slips out of your, between your fingers if you grab, grab it too tight. Like, I think that's the problem with Jerry sometimes is he's fighting so hard that, you know, he, he hurts his own cause.
- [04:44]
Marcus Mosher
Yeah. I mean, so this is going to be an interesting one. Do they give him, do they let him play on the, the second round tender, which I think pays him like 5.8 million? I'm sure Brandon Aubrey, who has basically made the vet minimum the last couple years, would Like a big pay increase. He was. He's been the third lowest paid kicker in the NFL each of the last three seasons and it's time for him to get a payday. But I think the issue here, Landon, is how much do you pay the best kicker in the league? Because again. But curse at 6.4, is the best kicker in the league worth 7 1/2 million a year? Is it 9 million a year? Is it more than that? I honestly don't know.
- [05:24]
Landon McCool
I don't either. I think the other complicating factor here is one that you've brought up, you know, several different times. And I think it's a fair point. The Cowboys already have the most expensive offense in the NFL and in the. And the price is going up. And now you add in a guy that could be making, I mean, look, if you resign him, we're talk. We could be talking seven and a half, $8 million a year for a kicker. You know, maybe more like.
- [05:51]
Marcus Mosher
Think about it like this. He's. I think his number last year was 800,000. If he gets, let's say, $9 million, he's making $8 million more than he made last year. That is a significant number. Not to say that he didn't deserve it, but when you've got guys that are getting big pay increases like Javante Williams and George Pickens and Brandon Aubrey and you have an historically bad defense, can you continue to invest this much money into offense? I know Brandon Aubrey plays special teams, but you get the point. I don't know. I honestly don't know.
- [06:23]
Landon McCool
It honestly is enough to make you kind of have to go through these exercises a little bit and go, I mean, I, I don't ever want to have to do this, but like, you know, what would we have to, what would it look like if instead of paying him, we moved on and we see all what we got for him? Because it's just the price is such is what it is. And you have needs everywhere else, especially on your defense.
- [06:47]
Marcus Mosher
All right, let's talk about what could a Brandon Aubrey trade look like? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by Home Chef. As the new year gets going, a lot of people are trying to simpl their routines. And dinner is always a big one. Between busy work days, cold winter nights, and packed schedules, having an easy and reliable dinner plan makes a huge difference. And that is where Home Chef comes in. Home Chef takes the stress out of cooking by delivering fresh pre portioned ingredients right to your door. With easy to follow recipes that actually taste great. They're rated number one by users of other meal kits for for quality, convenience, value, taste and recipe ease. And it's easy to see why meals come ready to fit your schedule. 30 minute recipes, oven ready trays for quick lunches and for a limited time only, Home Chef is offering our listeners 50% off your first box with free shipping and free dessert for life. Just go to homechef.com lotdon that's home chef.com laton for 50% off your first box with free shipping and free dessert for life. You must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. This episode is brought to you by fanduel. Have you ever wanted to experience the NBA Finals live and in person? Well, FanDuel is giving you the chance to turn that dream into reality with their NBA sweepstakes. And here's how it works. Use your profit boost on any NBA future and you'll automatically be entered for a shot to win a trip to the NBA Finals for two with flight tickets in the entire experience. And if you're already looking at the board thinking about which teams can make a deep run, this is the perfect time to lock in. So visit FanDuel.com to get started and use your profit boost on an MBA future and and get entered for your chance to win a trip to the NBA Finals. Play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Welcome back to the Loton Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. L. Let's talk Brandon Aubrey trade. If the Cowboys ever got to a point where they just couldn't agree to a deal, what is Brandon Aubrey worth in a trade?
- [09:15]
Landon McCool
First of all, all angry letters go to Marcus about this. I'm sure there's some upset fans and I also will say that we. I do think that the deal gets done but if they. If it just seems like if they. They've reached an impasse and they can't get past it, I do think you could probably get something for him in a trade and I think that's, that's where there might be some interest here. Because look, you know, we. Let's talk about some of the downside of a long term deal, right? Like real quick, I think if the Cowboys signed him to some deal that they that paid him seven and a half, $8 million, I have a fear that there would be a tendency to overuse the kicker. If that makes sense. Like we. Yes, absolutely. Where it just felt like they Were they'll attempt a long field goal because they know that, that Aubrey can make it, which is great. But when there's times when you need to be going to score touchdowns instead, instead of being.
- [10:10]
Marcus Mosher
There were a lot of times 3rd and 9, they were at the 40 yard line and they would run like a play to get four or five yards, you know, just to make the field goal attempt a little easier rather than being like, hey, let's go to, you know, let's try to have two plays here to get a first down and get into the red zone. They were. Because he's so good from long distance, it actually ended up hurting the offense.
- [10:33]
Landon McCool
So that is something to keep in mind. So. And then on top of that as well, kickers are guaranteed to just break at some point. It's just what they all do. We've, we've watched it happen. I mean like how many times? I mean if you've been around listening to the show long enough, we've been through at least three of these, you know, where you have a guy that you feel like is coming in here, is in a rhythm and is kicking really, really well, maybe even at a historic rate. Yeah, I mean Dan Bailey, like, I mean whatever you like. Brett Mar, I think, yeah. Brit Maher, Nick Folk like early on at. I just like you watch it and it's just inevitably going to happen at some point and if you invest a bunch of money in here, especially record breaking money, it's just going to feel sick when that happens. And so I'm not, you know, I'm not saying that the Cowboys shouldn't do this. We're just saying that there's definitely some risk here. So having said all of that, what could you get for him? I think that you could put a tender on him. You could see if anyone kind of nibbles on it and maybe just make it publicly, you know, privately known that he could be made, he could be available. You don't have to like get a second round pick for him, but could, could you get a fourth round, a third round pick for him? I think it's possible potentially. And, and if that's your, you know, alternative option to just letting him go, I think that that's a good option. At least you've got something out of him and then you have to figure out what you're doing long term with a kicker. But it is what it is.
- [12:07]
Marcus Mosher
Here's what, here's what I would like to see them do. If they put the second round tender on him, that pays him $5.8 million. It's fully guaranteed. Just do that. Just, just let him play on the tender this year. Because I think you and I have said this forever. Like, I don't know if you want to marry yourself to these kickers, even when they look like they're unstoppable, going year to year is probably the best way to do it. Put a tender on them and if you need a franchise, tag them again next year, you tag them and you do that. And I know that sucks for Brandon Aubrey, who deserves a long term deal, but this is a position that is just too fragile. And it's not just guys like Brandon Aubrey. I mean, think about Mike Vanderjad, who was like the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He misses one kick and he's out of the league like two years later. I mean, he went to Dallas and was atrocious. Like, this is just what happens to the position.
- [13:00]
Landon McCool
Yeah. And I, I think, you know, you could tender him and then you just let the, the teams know, hey, he could be made available for the right price and if the right team gets desperate enough, they'll, they'll come knocking for him, I guarantee it. So, you know, a team that's in a contender window that like maybe gets, loses their kicker at a, at a bad moment, that's looking for a long term solution anyways. Maybe they, they, you know, at the trade deadline, they'll make a trade. So, yeah, I think you just, you keep them around for one more year, see how things play out a little bit. Maybe, maybe you get some offers on.
- [13:34]
Marcus Mosher
Yeah, maybe you see a team like the Buffalo bills with pick 91 or the 49ers who picked 92, they're like, you know what, he's just going to be a better player than what we're going to get at that spot. Let's fill up. You know, it's fix a weakness. Let's do it. We'll see what happens with Brandon Aubrey. It's a very interesting situation that we'll be following. All right, that is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making Lockdown Cowboys your first listen every single day. Go download the podcast wherever you get your podcast. We are free and available on all platforms. Follow Landon on Twitter @McCool BCB. I'm @Marcus Underscore Moser and we'll see you right back here tomorrow.
- [14:18]
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- [14:49]
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