Why did Cowboys place 2nd‑round tender on Aubrey?

The move and its purpose

Dallas placed a second‑round restricted free agent tender on their kicker, a deliberate step to keep him in town while negotiations for a longer deal continue to stall. The tender locks in a salary level for the coming season and sets the compensation another team must surrender if they sign him away.

Key facts

• The tender is the second‑round restricted free agent level and carries a one‑year salary in the mid‑single millions for the 2026 season.
• Any club that signs the kicker to an offer sheet would cost Dallas a second‑round pick if the Cowboys decline to match.

Why the team took that path

1. Negotiations had not produced a long‑term extension, yet the Cowboys value continuity at the kicking spot. Placing the tender preserves control without committing to a multi‑year contract.
2. The second‑round level raises the price for potential suitors. For most teams, surrendering a high draft pick for a kicker is a steep price, so the tender functions as both a retention tool and a deterrent.

What this means moving forward Other clubs can still make an offer, but the compensation attached makes that uncommon. If an offer sheet arrives, Dallas must decide whether to match and complete a new deal or accept the draft‑pick compensation and let him go. The tender also signals how the market now values proven specialists and could influence how teams approach restricted free agents at typically lower‑pay positions.