Cowboys Insider Issues Apology For Incorrect Brandon Aubrey Report

The Dallas Cowboys enter the week riding a high after acting quickly to secure a long-term deal with breakout star running back Javonte Williams. However, it didn't take long for a new contract saga to surface.

There have been conflicting reports about All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey in recent days, with reports that he has rejected an offer from the Cowboys that would have made him the highest-paid kicker in the league entering NFL free agency.

That led to rebuttals from Aubrey's agent, Todd France, and even a denial from Aubrey's wife, and now a longtime Cowboys insider is correcting the record.

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News initially reported the Cowboys offered Aubrey $7.5 million, which was inaccurate, and appears to be where much of the confusion stemmed from.

A correction on my end. pic.twitter.com/l1hF1mHr9k
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) February 26, 2026

"I made a terrible mistake the other day when I reported that the Cowboys had offered Brandon Aubrey a contract of $7.5 million on an average salary," Watkins said. "That was wrong. It was a miscommunication on my end. It was totally my mistake.

"Instead, the Cowboys have offered Aubrey an average salary of just under $7 million, which would still make him the highest-paid kicker in league history. My apologies for any confusion that I caused. There will be a correction in the newspaper coming up, probably in Friday's editions. Once again, I apologize for my mistake. As a journalist, it's my job to get it right, and I got it wrong, so I'm sorry."

You have to respect Watkins for clearing the air, and it explains why there could be a disconnect between the Cowboys and Aubrey's reps. The narrative initially spun out of hand to a point that rumors were floated that Aubrey turned down the $7.5 million offer and wanted $10 million instead.

There is still a lot for both sides to work out, but hopefully everyone is willing to find a common middle ground so Aubrey can return to Dallas and can continue being a key part of the franchise.

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey during warm-ups before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

As things currently stand, the most realistic option appears to be Dallas using a second-round tender on Aubrey, and allowing the league determine his market value. A second-round tender would temporarily lock in Aubrey at $5.8 million, though negotiations would continue.

Last season, Aubrey converted 36-of-42 field goals, with a long of 64, and 47 of 48 extra point attempts. He finished the season with 155 total points.

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