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The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers are being linked to each other once again this offseason, this time over a potential free agency move. Dallas has made headlines with their approach to the running back position, but they’re still not certain who will be attempting kicks next year.
Tristan Vizcaino and Brandon Aubrey are the two kickers on roster, but Dallas Morning News reporter Michael Gehlken believes the Cowboys could consider an option from the 49ers: Zane Gonzalez.
“{Brandon Aubrey is the in-house favorite to be the Cowboys’ Week 1 kicker, able to secure job with strong summer. Tristan Vizcaino is also in fold. If neither claims role, the answer could be in California,” Gehlken wrote on Threads. “Niners are expected to part ways with Zane Gonzalez at some point, having drafted Jake Moody in third round. Chargers also have crowd between Dustin Hopkins and Cameron Dicker. Elsewhere, Bucs have set up a competition (Blankenship vs. McLaughlin). A few contingencies to monitor.”
Essentially, Dallas has options should their positional battle go poorly and Gonzalez may be at the top of the list. Considering that San Francisco utilized a significant pick to get Moody, it’s hard seeing a scenario where Gonzalez is still around this fall.
Gonzalez and Moody for the 49ers
One of the key “plusses” that Gonzalez has over either of the current Cowboys‘ kickers is his experience. Aubrey has never kicked in the NFL (more on that below) and Vizcaino first kicked in the league with the 49ers in 2020.
Gonzalez made his NFL debut in 2017 with the Cleveland Browns but things quickly went south for the former Arizona State kicker. He made just 68% of his attempted kicks, missing three extra points in 18 total appearances according to PFR.
A return to Arizona with the Cardinals reignited his career. As a member of the Cardinals from 2018 through 2020, Gonzalez made 81.8% of his kick attempts. In 2021, the 28-year-old joined the Carolina Panthers and made 91% of his attempts.
However, a quad injury at the end of the 2022 preseason forced him to the injury reserve for the entire campaign, not long removed from his best NFL season to date. Gonzalez was then brought in as insurance for the 49ers, setting them up to take Moody, who made 69 of 84 FGAs (82%) while at Michigan.
Aubrey the Next Cowboys Kicker?
While Vizcaino has multiple years of NFL experience, the Cowboys‘ newest kicker Brandon Aubrey is coming in with just a year of pro football experience and a background in soccer. Before playing for the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, Aubrey played for Toronto FC in the MLS.
While his soccer career did not pan out, Aubrey has found success as a kicker. As Heavy’s J.R. DeGroote recently wrote up, Aubrey made 18 of 22 field goal attempts in 2022 and knocked down 22 of his 24 PATs.
There’s certainly more pressure at the NFL level, but there’s legitimate reason for optimism based on his USFL numbers. Beating Vizcaino in a position battle would be another good test for Aubrey ahead of a potential NFL debut this fall.
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