The Green Bay Packers ended the 2025 season with a huge question mark surrounding starting kicker Brandon McManus.
The Packers could move on from McManus this offseason, as he has an out in his contract for the 2026 season, per Spotrac. If that happens, Green Bay may turn the starting kicker job over to Lucas Havrisik, who had his good moments during the 2025 season for an injured McManus.
That wouldn’t be a terrible idea on paper, but Dallas Cowboys All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey would be the perfect replacement for McManus. And it turns out, Aubrey's ongoing negotiations with the Cowboys are starting to open the door for him to possibly leave.
Packers Should Keep Tabs on Brandon Aubrey’s Negotiations in Dallas
The multiple-time Pro Bowl Aubrey is set to become a restricted free agent, which means Dallas can place a second-round tender on him (worth $5.8 million) and has a chance to match any offer for him if the starter kicker signed an offer sheet with another team.Â
But the Cowboys don’t want to go down the route, as they would like to get a deal done. At first, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported that Aubrey turned down $7.5 million per year from the Cowboys and wanted closer to $10M.
In fact, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported something similar, stating that Dallas offered Aubrey more than the $6.4 million AAV that Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is making. Archer also mentioned that Aubrey’s agent, Todd France, asked for a deal close to $10 million per year.
However, Aubrey and his wife quickly disputed these contract reports. Watkins issued an apology, saying it was less than $7 million offered.
No matter the true figure that was put on the table, it's clear things are starting to get messy as Aubrey's camp and the Cowboys try to get any advantage they can in these talks. The longer it drags out, the more uncertainty it creates, and it could allow another team to get involved.
For Green Bay, this situation bears keeping tabs on. Aubrey is an elite talent at the position who could finally solve the Packers' long-standing kicker issues. Special teams is one clear area holding this team back from another Super Bowl, and signing one of the league's best would only strengthen the chances of this roster vying for a ring.
But one thing to keep in mind: If Aubrey becomes a restricted free agent (by receiving a tender from the Cowboys) and Green Bay signs him, they'd be forced to give up some kind of premium draft capital. Dallas is likely to place a second-round tender on Aubrey if he tests the open market, so the Packers would be down their first- (Micah Parsons trade) and second-round (Aubrey signing) picks for the 2026 draft.
It's not likely the Packers would opt to sit out the two opening rounds of this year's draft, especially when they have clear needs across the roster, but the chance to possibly solve their Achilles heel with Aubrey may tempt them at the very least.