
#17 PK · Dallas Cowboys
1 transaction this offseason
Height
6'3"
Weight
218 lbs
Age
31
College
Notre Dame
Draft
Undrafted
Experience
3 yrs
PK Rank
#12 / 34
Grade this player:
| Year | Team | GP | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Career | ![]() | 51 | 88.2% |
| 2025 | ![]() | 17 | 85.7% |
| 2024 | ![]() | 17 | 85.1% |
| 2023 | ![]() | 17 | 94.7% |
Updated Jan 1, 1970
Length
1 year
Total Value
$5.8M
AAV
$5.8M/yr
The Cowboys locked up Brandon Aubrey at a reasonable market rate, earning a B- CVI that reflects solid value for a reliable kicker entering his prime. At $5.8M for one year, Dallas is paying appropriate compensation for a solid starter at the position, avoiding both the premium attached to elite kickers and the risk of bargain-hunting in free agency. Aubrey's production justifies this investment — he's proven dependable from distance and clutch in high-pressure moments, qualities that become invaluable during playoff runs. The one-year structure gives both sides flexibility while allowing the Cowboys to evaluate whether he's worth a longer-term commitment, though it does create potential uncertainty heading into 2025. This deal represents smart roster management by Dallas, securing a key special teams contributor without breaking the bank or creating long-term salary cap complications that often plague teams who overinvest at the kicker position.
Brandon Aubrey earns a C+ for the Cowboys as their kicker, which might seem low for a player who set records early in his career. Aubrey has a monster leg that can hit from distances most kickers cannot even attempt, and his kickoff ability is genuinely elite. However, his accuracy on makeable kicks has not been perfect, and a few critical misses have kept him from a higher grade. Dallas relies on his big leg to attempt kicks that other teams would not even consider, which inflates his miss count but also provides a unique weapon. Aubrey is an impact specialist who just needs to clean up the occasional miss to be considered elite.
Brandon Aubrey is riding a genuine wave of public goodwill right now, and the sentiment around his new deal reflects near-universal approval from fans and media alike. The narrative is locked in around one central fact: Aubrey just became the highest-paid kicker in NFL history on a four-year, $28M extension, and the coverage framing it as richly deserved is overwhelming — the consensus is that a nearly flawless kicker since entering the league three seasons ago has earned every dollar. The interesting tension here is that his performance grade sits at a modest C+, which is less a knock on Aubrey himself and more a reflection of the limited statistical footprint a kicker carries in overall roster evaluation — one tackle across 17 games is the entire on-field data set, and elite specialists simply don't move the needle the way skill-position players do. What's sharpening the discourse, though, is a legitimate fan debate about opportunity cost: with Dallas sitting at 7-9-1 and needing upgrades at multiple positions, locking record money into a specialist invites real scrutiny about front-office priorities, even if the kicker himself is irreplaceable at his craft. The Cowboys have been active in the offseason — adding defenders like Derion Kendrick, Tyrus Wheat, and Jonathan Bullard — which suggests the front office is trying to address roster depth simultaneously, softening some of that criticism. Earlier headlines suggested a contentious negotiation, with Aubrey pushing for more than the Cowboys initially offered, but the resolution appears to have landed in a place both sides can live with. The narrative sits in a strong, stable place heading into the offseason: Aubrey is celebrated as elite at what he does, the deal is framed as historically significant, and any skepticism is aimed at roster construction philosophy rather than the kicker himself.
Auto-moderated fan forum with 5-minute speaker turns
Loading discussion...
Recent seasons are weighted more heavily in the overall performance grade.
C-
2025
(50% weight)
C-
2024
(30% weight)
A+
2023
(20% weight)