Okay, folks, this is really a post that is about to be made. The Cowboys have drafted two kickers in the Jerry Jones era. Nick Folk in 2007 and David Buehler in 2011. Neither was very good.
The best success they have had was with Dan Bailey who they signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2011 NFL draft.
He spent six years with the team and was named to the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro in 2015.
Here is the problem, from the looks of things, after Brett Maher struggled in the playoffs in 2022, they decided enough is enough for like the 15th time. The team signed Tristan Vizcaino to the practice squad in January of this year.
He is the only kicker on the roster at the moment.
It seems the Jones family has not had the urgency to sign a vet who has a solid track history of making kicks in this league.
With that said, it leads me to the title of this post. Should we just say oh well and trust Vizcaino, or use a late pick and take a flyer on a kicker entering the draft?
There is a REASON Vizcaino has been with so many football teams in such a short period of time — clearly, he isn’t impressing anyone on the practice squad!
We know the option is always there to sign a rookie after, but man, some teams have hit on drafting kickers.
I dove into possible free agents the Cowboys should look at a few months ago, but if they don’t go that route, I am not really a huge fan of any of the kickers entering the draft.
Even so, If Dallas had to spend a pick on ONE player in this year’s draft I would probably lean toward The N.C. State product, Christopher Dunn.
Dunn won the 2022 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award. The award is given annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Dunn had an unreal senior season.
He made 97 percent of his field goals. 28-of-29!! His long was from 53 yards. His only miss came from right outside of 40 yards.
The Cowboys have a pick in the 6th and 7th rounds and right now that is where he is slated to fall.
By the time those two rounds hit, they should have used plenty of picks to add depth to both sides of the football. Let’s be honest, the guy they take in either round has a high probability of not making the team, anyway.
A kicker is a HUGE reward with minimal risk. I say go for it.
Kicker is clearly an afterthought going into next week’s draft. It still doesn’t hurt to at least think about one.
Kickers win games every single week in this league and without consistency at the position you can also lose them every week.
I don’t want to guess what the Jones family will do. They have proven me wrong all offseason thus far.
They improved the team in March, something they haven’t done in the last few years. I just can’t see this team running Vizcaino out there all year.
Jake Moody from the University of Michigan and Jack Podlesny from Georgia are probably the most notable names in this year’s draft. I would still rather have Dunn who missed once all season.
We will see soon enough.