The Cowboys acted all offseason like they had an ace up their sleeve. Their nonchalant attitude towards the kicker position was equal parts calming and concerning. After watching Brett Maher collapse down the stretch in 2022, everyone knew something had to be done. The problem was that options were limited and each one of them came with as many pros as cons.
The Cowboys spoke of unturned stones and far reaches of the earth in their quest to fill their special teams role. But week after week options fell off the board while the Cowboys sat patiently. With their eyes on the “other” American professional football league, Dallas eventually signed their guy.
Brandon Aubrey, one of the most respected kickers in the USFL, signed with the Cowboys on July 6 with a chance to compete with Tristen Vizcaino for the top kicker spot in Dallas. Aubrey, a former professional soccer player, went 32 of 38 (84%) on field goals and 57 of 59 (97%) on extra points over the past two seasons.
The numbers look good, but then again, so did Maher’s. How he handles things between the ears will ultimately decide Aubrey’s value as a kicker. Kicker performance is wildly unstable across the NFL and even great kickers have unpredictable and unexpected poor seasons speckled into their careers.
Now as the dust has settled on the signing, some noteworthy people have spoken out about the Cowboys new kicker. And the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. Mickey Spagnola at DallasCowboys.com wrote about a text message he received from former Cowboys kicker Chris Boniol.
Boniol, the current special teams coach of the Birmingham Stallions, coached Aubrey in the USFL. He knows firsthand what Aubrey has to offer Dallas.
“Great kid,” Boniol said of Aubry. “He’s definitely got the talent. He’s definitely got the skills. Good leg strength. Has a chance to compete.”
The good reviews didn’t end there. Bryan Broaddus, former Cowboys scout and current media member, reached out to his contacts around the NFL. He spoke of their glowing reviews for the 28-year-old kicker on his Love of the Star podcast.
One specific team who happened to be looking for a kicker this offseason had this to say about Aubry:
“Was really good – smooth, accurate, poised,” the undisclosed team official said of Aubry. “Good at kickoffs as well. Heard very good person. Wiring for the position as well.
The takeaway here should be the last sentence. “Wiring” is what led to the downfall of Maher in 2022. Having a cool and calm demeanor under pressure is arguably more important than having the best leg.
The fact two separate entities, currently unaffiliated with the Cowboys, spoke glowingly of Aubry speaks volumes. Good reviews may not be the end-all be-all, but they aren’t nothing either.
These statements should not be downplayed and hopefully will lead to the answer to the kicker question in Dallas.
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Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire