Cowboys open to exploring options at kicker, including possible return of Brett Maher

FRISCO – The Cowboys’ 90-man training camp roster isn’t close to being finalized. As it stands, there is just one kicker under contract, Tristan Vizcaino.

That might change when the Cowboys get to Oxnard, Calif., their training camp home for three weeks in the summer.

At the end of rookie minicamp on a relaxing Saturday afternoon from The Star, special teams coordinator John Fassel said he’s open to adding another kicker.

Yes, even bringing back Brett Maher.

“I think everything is on the table,” Fassel said. “Let’s face it, if you look at Brett, he had a great year and he had a bad game, and hadn’t missed a kick before it and missed one kick after it. But he played (19) of them and had a bad game and a half. (He) was a (90.6%) kicker, missed a few PATs at the end. Did a great job on kickoffs. So I think everybody is on the table. I’m proud of Brett of what he did last year, if he gets a spot here or somewhere else I’m sure he’ll perform well.”

Before moving forward let’s look back at what Dallas did last year with the kicker position. Lirim Hajrullahu and Jonathan Garibay competed in training camp. Garibay struggled badly and was released in early August so Maher could be signed.

It was clear, Maher was the better kicker and he beat out Hajrullahu in proving that.

When we got to the season, Maher was fantastic until the end. He had a point-after-attempt blocked against Indianapolis before stringing together 16 consecutive makes. He did miss a PAT in the regular season finale at Washington.

That’s when everything went to well…

He missed four PATs in the wild card win at Tampa Bay before securing a make in the fourth quarter. In the divisional round loss at San Francisco, Maher missed his first PAT of the game. He did make two field goals though. He finished the season converting his last 12 field goals.

But all those misses of point-after-attempts was the sticking point in not having confidence in a return. It’s pretty hard to bring a kicker back who missed five of six PATs in the postseason.

The objective now is for the Cowboys to utilize veterans at the position. Vizcaino has played for four NFL teams and spanning 10 games he’s made 11 of 12 field goals and 15 of 20 extra points.

“For him, it’s showing consistency and being given the opportunity,” Fassel said of Vizcaino. “This is probably the best opportunity he’s ever had.”

Fassel knows all the veterans on the market and named a few in Mason Crosby, Robbie Gould and Ryan Succop. Maher remains possible, too, but you never know.

“No secrets on who’s available,” he said. “The good thing for us at the kicker spot is being patient.”

It’s only May. No games to worry about. No practices in pads to concern yourself. No need to chart if a kicker is better from the left hash mark or not against the cool Southern California wind in training camp.

There will be time for that.

But as the Cowboys formulate a plan, the only thing known is Vizcaino is the kicker until somebody else signs a contract at his position.

“Anybody else on earth who is not on the team right now is under consideration,” Fassel said. “That’s everybody really. You got guys who are legitimate, but we don’t want to bring in a camp leg to get through camp and save somebody. Anybody who comes in here has to compete with Tristan we feel has to be a legitimate possibility of being a starting kicker in the NFL. That can be a lot of different guys that we’re still looking at XFL, USFL, veterans on the street (and) younger guys who haven’t found their way.”

Twitter: @calvinwatkins

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