The Dallas Cowboys have once again been desperate to find a consistent kicker that dates back to the 2010s. Finally, this past Thursday may have solved their problem. The Cowboys went to the well again and sought out a USFL kicker in Birmingham Stallions, Brandon Aubrey.
As the first signing from the USFL to the NFL, Aubrey agreed to a deal with the team and will be in a kicking battle with Tristan Vizcaino in training camp.
Former Kicker Brett Maher
Last year, the Cowboys brought back Maher in hopes of bringing long awaiting stability to the kicker position. The veteran was previously with the Cowboys in 2018, 2019, and 2022, so he already had previous inside experience with the franchise.
Maher did have a pretty good regular season, as he made 29-of-32 field goals and 50-of-53 extra points in 2022 and is 4-4 in his lifetime of 60+-yard field goals.
The downfall of Maher was in the NFC Wildcard playoff game, where he was only 1-of-6 on extra points, missing four extra points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How crazy do things turn from last year to this year, as Maher went from being Dallas’ primary kicker to an unsigned free agent in 2023?
Despite his struggles in the playoffs, Maher did make a franchise record of 137 points last year, but in a “What have you done for me lately league,” Maher was disappointing enough for him to get the boot in the 2023 offseason.
The Beginning
Aubrey returns to Dallas in hopes of beating out Vizcaino and becoming the starting kicker for his hometown Dallas Cowboys. He’s a native of Plato, Texas, where he went to high school.
The 28-year-old then went to Notre Dame for college, where he transformed into a four-year soccer player as the team’s star player. He tallied 15 goals in 76 games as the team’s number-one defender. He was then drafted in the first round of the MLS draft by Toronto FC in 2017. He then ended his soccer career in 2018.
New Cowboys kicker: Dallas signs Brandon Aubrey from USFLhttps://t.co/sK2ISvF6Ru pic.twitter.com/ZP0EER1SHV
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) July 6, 2023
USFL
In 2022, Aubrey found himself as the Birmingham Stallions placekicker. He instantly becomes one of the USFL‘s best kickers, winning a USFL championship and earning All-USFL honors. This past season in 2023, Aubrey contributed to leading the Stallions to back-back USFL titles while making 14 of 15 field goals and all of his 35 PATs in the process.
At 6′ 3″, 192 lbs., Aubrey’s accuracy continues to shine in the postseason too. The solid kicker scored 5 of 7 field goals while making 16 of 18 extra points in four playoff games during four years with the team. He only missed one of his 12 kick attempts, an extra point in the USFL Championship game against the Pittsburgh Maulers this postseason.
Tristan Vizcaino
After a four-year career as a kicker and a punter at the University of Washington, the 6′ 2″, 203 lb. kicker made 12 field goals in 2017. The 26-year-old was undrafted in the 2018 NFL draft. Look for Vizcaino to put up a fight to compete with Aubrey.
Other Teams He Played For
Vizcaino was a fill-in kicker for the San Francisco 49ers (2021), Los Angeles Chargers (2021), and Arizona Cardinals (2022), and did not disappoint. He made 11 of 12 field goal attempts during those appearances and this was how he placed his name into the NFL.
Open Competition
Right now, it looks like the kicking competition in Cowboys training camp will come down to just Aubrey and Vizcaino. But what about adding another kicker; just to have him try out?
Or, you could cut Vizcaino and have two kickers from the USFL battle it out to see who’s better. I’m talking about trying out or signing Philadelphia Stars kicker Luis Aguilar whom many thought might go to the Cowboys instead.
At 6’3″, 200 lbs., Aguilar was almost as efficient as Aubrey was with the Philadelphia Stars as a USFL kicker. He was 25 of 29 from field goal range and made 19 of his 20 extra points.
While these stats are just under Aubrey’s, they are still better than Vizcaino’s, and I say, the Boys cut Vizcaino and sign Aguilar, and you have a camp battle between two stud USFL kickers. Then the Cowboys will see who’s truly better to get the starting job.
Even though Vizcaino technically has more NFL experience than both Aubrey and Aguilar, he’s only kicked 11 out of 12 field goals in his career with the 49ers, Chargers, and Cardinals. He also has only made 15 of 20 career extra points, so this could give a big opening to either Aubrey or Aguilar if Vizcaino struggles during camp.
Having a competition with kickers from the USFL, is a great bonus for those athletes. The Cowboys signed return specialist KaVontae Turpin to the team last year from the New Jersey Generals. Coming from TCU, he was the 2022 USFL MVP and established Pro Bowl honors last season with the team.