Brandon Aubrey never played a down for Notre Dame football. That continues to be one of the most amazing parts of the Dallas Cowboys kicker's story as he prepares to test the NFL free agent market. Even if he does stick with his current team, the former Fighting Irish soccer star is expected to sign a new deal for a record amount of money for his position.
The big question when it comes to the pursuit of Aubrey is whether he will be coming back to the Cowboys or whether Jerry Jones will show the kind of hubris it takes to make the former Notre Dame star move on. For now, hubris might be winning.
Jones is on the record saying that he's willing to make Aubrey the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, a title currently held by the Kansas City Chiefs' Harrison Butker at $6.4 million per year. However, the Cowboys aren't currently significantly above that figure, while the ex-Notre Dame player's camp is reportedly looking to make more than $10 million per year.
Brandon Aubrey's free agency pursuit could make the Notre Dame star the NFL's highest-paid kicker
Because of the gap between the two sides, Aubrey is ok with testing his restricted free agent market to see if someone can come up with an even bigger offer.
"When you hit that restricted free agency, if you're not testing the market, then you're not doing what's right for you and your family," Aubrey told The Dallas Morning News earlier this week. "So you have to do that, if that's what it comes to."
Despite making the Pro Bowl and being named first- or second-team All-Pro in all three of his seasons, Aubrey has earned $2.695 million total, averaging $898,333 per year. That means the man who first made his name as a member of the Notre Dame soccer team is going to get a very big raise, no matter where he signs.