According to the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Cowboys have moved on from kicker Tristan Vizcaino.
Vizcaino signed a futures contract with the team in 2020 but was later cut. But at the end of the 2022 season, he was signed back on the practice squad after Brett Maher missed four extra points in the Wild Card Round.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy says the decision came from their evaluation process in wanting to give Brandon Aubrey the majority of the reps.
Dallas Cowboys Kicker Training Camp Concerns
This release comes after a worrisome week of practices from the kicking unit, especially at Saturday’s practice.
McCarthy said the decision was not based solely on Saturday’s practice, but it is worth noting.
During the Cowboys’ “mojo moment,” the task was for the offense to set the kicking unit up as close to a field goal as possible.
The issue was that Vizcaino and Brandon Aubrey struggled to make a field goal, forcing the team to continue the drill until someone made one.
Aubrey finally came out ahead in the competition, going 1 for 3. Meanwhile, Vizcaino went 0 for 3.
Will Brandon Aubrey Be the Cowboy’s Kicker This Season?
The issue with both kickers seems to be a lack of confidence and experience.
Aubrey has struggled to gain any lead against Vizcaino, seeing that he has also had his fair share of missed field goals.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Aubrey is 26 for 35 in the eight padded practices the Cowboys have had so far. Meanwhile, Vizcaino was 22 for 35.
Aubrey previously played with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL but has a notable background in soccer with experience in the MLS and in college at Notre Dame.
All of the writing is on the walls that it might be time for the Cowboys to bring in a veteran kicker.
McCarthy said that when it comes to adding competition on the roster for Aubrey, the team is “open for business.”
Some notable free agents available are Mason Crosby, Robbie Gould, Ryan Succop, and Randy Bullock.
Cowboys Kicker Déjà Vu
This isn’t the first time the kicking competition was problematic for the Cowboys. In fact, they know this feeling all too well.
In 2022, Lirim Hajrullahu and Jonathan Garibay did not have great camps, leading to a similar conversation as we are having now. The team ended up signing Maher in the first week of August. Sound familiar?