The Cowboys front office believes that, with the additions of Mazi Smith, Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore and Luke Schoonmaker, they are better. They hope to be better at kicker, which is why they haven’t re-signed Brett Maher.
Tristan Vizcaino is the only kicker currently on the team’s roster, and it would be an upset if he were their kicker on opening day. He has kicked in only 10 games in three seasons.
“Kicker is certainly one we’ll continue to look at options there,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said, via Todd Archer of ESPN.
Maher made 90.6 percent of his field goal attempts and 94.3 percent of his extra points in the regular season in 2022, setting a team record for points in a season with 137. But after missing a PAT in Week 18 at Washington, Maher set an NFL record with four missed extra points in the wild card playoff win at Tampa. He had another PAT blocked in the divisional round loss to the 49ers on a low kick that was headed left.
Maher remains a free agent, and the Cowboys apparently remain uninterested in a reunion.
The Cowboys didn’t make a play for Brandon McManus, according to Archer, and after the Jaguars signed McManus, they called Dallas to shop Riley Patterson. The Jaguars traded Patterson to the Lions.
Head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned XFL and USFL kickers, and special teams coach John Fassel noted that veterans Robbie Gould, Ryan Succop and Mason Crosby remain free agents. Crosby kicked for McCarthy with the Packers.
“We’re looking at the other leagues. We’re looking at guys that are out on the streets, guys that potentially come in a trade,” Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said, via David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. “It’s a big mix of all that stuff, and when the time is right we will find the right kicker to add to the competition.”
The Cowboys didn’t sign Maher until Aug. 9 last year after their kicking competition never got off the ground. It is same time, this year, as they continue the search for a reliable option at the position.