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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys‘ kicking competition is not over but it has changed with the release of Tristan Vizcaino, a source told ESPN.
Brandon Aubrey is currently the only kicker on the 90-man roster after the release of Vizcaino, but the team could add another soon or wait as teams across the league pare down their kickers. Proven kickers like Robbie Gould and Mason Crosby remain available but the Cowboys have yet to express interest in adding a veteran.
In eight padded practices, Vizcaino made 22 of 35 attempts during team drills and was just four of eight in the Cowboys’ most recent practice on Saturday, including a streak of four straight misses, although one was a result of a poor snap. Aubrey, who played for the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions in the spring, has made 26 of 35 attempts but was one of three in end-of-game situations on Saturday.
The Cowboys had interest in two kickers in the draft, Jake Moody and Chad Ryland, but both were selected earlier than the team wanted to use a pick on the kicker.
Last year, the Cowboys’ training camp kicker battle featured Jonathan Garibay and Liram Hajrullahu, but after they struggled early they signed Brett Maher after a workout and he ended up setting the team record for points in a season with 137.
He made 29 of 32 field goal attempts and 50 of 53 extra points, but he missed four extra points in the wild-card win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and one more in the divisional loss to the San Francisco 49ers.