Cowboys All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey is up for an extension, and Brian Schottenheimer's culture could prove crucial in getting a deal done.
Somewhat unexpectedly, Dallas Cowboys All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey has been the big controversial topic of the scouting combine, right there along with George Pickens.
After the back-and-forth reports about what the Cowboys had offered Aubrey, with then reports of the kicker wanting $10 million APY, which Aubrey and his wife later denied?
It adds another element to what we thought - and still think - should be a simple negotiation.
With Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, the highest-paid at his position at $6.4 million APY, offering Aubrey anything north of $7 million APY is fair value.
But where the two sides meet on a deal is unknown.
However, one thing might prove decisive in getting Aubrey to sign on that dotted line.
And for head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the culture being built inside The Star could be key.
“When you build the right culture here, the players want to stay, the players want to be here,” Schottenheimer said. “So as the negotiations and the business side of it happens, the good thing for me and the good thing for us as the Cowboys organization is knowing that, Brandon doesn't want to go anywhere.
"He wants to be here. We want Brandon here. Now again, we just got to have the time to figure out the numbers and how that works.”
So Aubrey wants to stay, and the Cowboys want him to as well.
But depending on what his agent, Todd France, the person who also got Dak Prescott $60 million APY, is asking for, it could get messy.
Teams generally aren't in the business of making their kicker the highest-paid in football, but with Aubrey, you can make the case that the Cowboys should.
But how much? That's a good conversation starter. Personally, I'd go up to $8 million APY if I had to; anything more, thanks but no thanks.
There are multiple reports now suggesting that this deal gets done "soon'' - maybe in advance or in conjuction with the start of the NFL business year on March 11.
So how this plays out over the coming days will be interesting, as the Cowboys also have to juggle Pickens' contract.
Both players want to stay in Dallas, and the franchise echoes that feeling.
It's a matter of how much the organization is willing to pay to ensure they do.