Friendly Neighborhood Texas Fanatic 🤘🏼

OU general manager Jim Nagy on landing wide receiver Parker Livingstone in the portal: “We didn’t see Texas dropping Parker like that… That was huge for us.” #Sooners

A Kicker, the greatest contract in NFL History, and the Dallas Cowboys... Schotty's "Aubrey-problem" just got a lot more complicated and expensive. Walk with me here for a second ok this is a comprehensive angle that I nerded out over🔬🧠 $10M for a KICKER is definitely crazy... but that APY is far from the biggest issue in this situation. Aubrey has been a legitimate weapon for the Dallas Cowboys as he can hit from distances most teams won’t even attempt. On the other hand… he’s a kicker. Now here’s the nuance that matters: The salary cap has increased over 20% since Harrison Butker signed his extension two years ago. So when people react emotionally to "$10M for a kicker," they’re ignoring inflation and market growth. -In today’s cap environment, $10M is probably in the fair-market range. That distinction is important. But once again... that's not the real pressure here. His agent, Todd France of Athletes First is the same one who negotiated Dak Prescott’s “greatest contract of all time”. So theres some PTSD there considering that deal was mocked and made famous for doing inappropriate things to the Jones' rear ends over the negotiating table. Speaking of the Jones, the old "cap boy" version of themselves would've initially balked at this request but then promptly backed away from it and turned the page no problem... but the 2026 version built a win-it window and they're in too deep to do anything that jeopardizes it. We know the salary cap is NOT an issue and these last 4 days with Javonte Williams, "busting the budget" for DL coach Brandon Jordan, and now offering the richest KICKER-CONTRACT in NFL history ($7.5M) to Brandon Aubrey.... the Jones' are and have been moving very different and are finally all in on winning. Once again it begs an even bigger question... What would a deal like this do to the Psychology of both Brian Schottenheimer’s and Brandon Aubrery? We’ve already seen him lean conservative at times because he trusts Aubrey’s leg too much. --The Leagues top offense shouldn't lead the NFL in 50 yard FG attempts regardless of how historically bad the 2025 Cowboys defense was. Aubrey's psychology on the other hand...the more you pay him, the more subconscious pressure exists to justify that investment. And kicker psychology is even more unpredictable than Schotty's adjustment and play calling unknowns. Kickers are like pitchers. Always isolated. Usually not involved. On an island. One cold stretch can spiral quickly.... (that "Y" word baseball players are so scared of) It's just weird. All of it is weird and as if that weren't already enough... theres one final cherry on top. There’s also no proven correlation between elite kicker contracts and Super Bowl wins. Meanwhile, Aubrey’s FG percentage has dipped slightly each year since 2023 (h/t @AttackOnCowboys for that one.) — but isn't that also because he’s being asked to attempt kicks only HE can realistically make? Schotty shoulders some of that responsibility, right? Of course he does. This Cowboys team says it’s in a win-it window and we clearly believe it as we've spoken on it here for 12 months... so if that’s true, you don’t gamble on draft guesswork that may never pan out and id LEAN towards keeping Aubrey over electing for a 2nd round draft pick via the RFA Tender if I can help it... I.e. Kelvin Joseph. Luke Schoonmaker. Trysten Hill. Etc. We remember. So yes — we want Aubrey back. But which RFA tender if any do you apply and at what point does paying for/ over-relying on your kicker create diminishing returns?