Cowboys secure star kicker Brandon Aubrey and versatile lineman T.J. Bass with tenders, protecting valuable assets while pushing for long-term deals.
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are said to be engaged in relatively peaceful conversations with agent Todd France regarding a re-signing All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey.
But until a deal is done? The tools must be utilized.
So, as expected, Dallas beat the deadline to tender the restricted free agent kicker, and did the same with reserve guard T.J. Bass.
Each of them now have second-round tenders (worth $5.8 million for 2026), meaning they can only be stolen away if another bidder comes along with an offer, and Dallas chooses not to match, instead taking a second-round pick as compensation.
The Cowboys are betting none of that happens.
We have written at length about the proposed money involved in Aubrey's new deal, what we thought of as in the range of $7 million APY to make him the highest-paid kicker in football.
And we know that talks are ongoing and that they've been taking place since last fall.
“We’ve been working on a long-term deal for some time,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said recently of the Aubrey dealings. “We’ve exchanged offers and the goal is to get him signed. We’ll tender him before the deadline if that’s what we have to decide.”
Jones added that the conversations have been a "journey.''
The Cowboys' view on Aubrey's deal is that he deserves to be the highest-paid kicker ever - and word is they've gone there, offering close to $7 million per year.
But it seems Aubrey's side is asking for a long-term contract worth close to $10 million per year.
That would make him the NFL's highest-paid kicker, blowing away KC's Harrison Butker at $6.4 mil per year.
In fact, it's about five times greater than the average kicker salary.
Aubrey is represented by Todd France, who also reps quarterback Dak Prescott. ... who is of course by far the NFL's highest-paid player ever at $60 million APY.
Dallas' leverage? That tender; it gives the team contractual control.
Aubrey's hope? To rewrite the way kickers are paid - or maybe just to start the bidding so high that it caused one NFL source to term it to us "outrageous.''
Bass, meanwhile, is viewed as a valuable asset even though he's only a part-time starter. There has been speculation that Dallas could end up using him in a trade if everything else comes together in this offensive line.
The buzz says Aubrey will agree to a deal in the coming days, ahead of NFL free agency, freeing the Cowboys do work on other deals, including that of the franchise-tagged George Pickens to get done.