Getty The Cowboys could consider signing kicker Luis Aguilar.
The Dallas Cowboys could sign a record-breaking kicker entering the 2023 season, according to one reporter.
As Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News noted, among the options at kicker for the Cowboys is none other than the USFL’s Luis Aguilar. The Philadelphia Stars kicker recently tied an all-time pro football record for field goals made in a game when he went 8-for-8 — including a walk-off 55-yard field goal — in a win over the New Jersey Generals back in May.
Gehlken notes that the Cowboys have monitored the USFL closely. This comes a year after Dallas signed USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin, which resulted in Turpin turning in a Pro Bowl bid as a returner during his rookie season with the Cowboys.
“Cowboys have two empty roster spots,” said Gehlken on Saturday, July 1. “Today’s conclusion of USFL season opens avenue from which to accrue talent. Last summer, USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin joined Dallas. Rate limit not exceeded: Team has again monitored league closely, including at kicker. Luis Aguilar among options.”
Why the Cowboys Could Sign Luis Aguilar
The 25-year-old Aguilar has never appeared in the NFL, but he’s an accomplished kicker beyond his USFL career. As Jerry Trotta of FanSided notes, Aguilar also broke the FCS record for the longest field goal with a 57-yarder and won the nation’s top kicker award among every division in college football outside of Division I.
“This comes after Aguilar broke the FCS record for longest field goal in 2019 with a 57-yarder,” writes Trotta. “That same year, he won the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation’s top kicker among the 750 (!) FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams.”
Aguilar led all USFL kickers with 94 points during the 2023 season, converting on 80% of his field goal attempts in the process.
Cowboys Are Seeking Another Option at Kicker
The Cowboys are still seeking a replacement for the departed Brett Maher. While Dallas features Tristan Vizcaino on the roster, the 25-year-old Vizcaino has never served as a full-time kicker in the NFL. Vizcaino has appeared in just 10 career games with four NFL teams and has converted on 11-of-12 field goal attempts along with just 15-of-20 extra point attempts.
In other words, Vizcaino appears more to be a camp body rather than the Cowboys’ full-time kicker entering the 2023 season. Special teams coach John Fassel openly admitted back in May that Dallas is seeking another veteran kicker, openly mentioning free agent names such as Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop.
While mentioning those names, he also admitted that the Cowboys are open to a variety of kicker options. Fassel mentioned the USFL and XFL leagues as potential areas where Dallas could find their next kicker.
“Well, we’ve got Tristan on the roster. Anybody else on earth who is not on the team right now is under consideration,” Fassel said Saturday. “That’s everybody really. … That could be a lot of different guys that we’re still looking at — XFL, USFL, veterans on the street, younger guys who still haven’t found a way.”
Aguilar may not be a household name, but he’s certainly one of the best professional kickers in football right now. Considering the Cowboys have already found luck in the USFL before by signing Turpin, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they tried out another USFL star in Aguilar.