Cowboys Tender Kicker Aubrey at $5.8 Million

The Dallas Cowboys have placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on kicker Brandon Aubrey, securing his services for the 2026 season at approximately $5.8 million while preserving their ability to retain him amid stalled contract extension negotiations.

The move, reported ahead of the March 11 start of the 2026 NFL league year, allows Aubrey to negotiate with other teams once free agency begins. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere, the Cowboys hold the right to match it. Should they decline, they would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation. This tender represents a significant raise for Aubrey, who completed the final year of his initial three-year contract in 2025, but he has expressed that it falls short of his expectations for a long-term deal.

Negotiations between Aubrey and the Cowboys broke down last summer after months of discussions. The team offered an extension that would have positioned him as the NFL's highest-paid kicker, surpassing the $6.4 million annual average of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. However, Aubrey's representatives sought a figure closer to $10 million per year, creating a wide gap that prevented agreement....