Cowboys cut Vizcaino amid kicker struggles

OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys‘ kicking competition is not over, but it has changed with the release of Tristan Vizcaino, coach Mike McCarthy announced on Monday.

Brandon Aubrey is the only kicker on the 90-man roster after the release of Vizcaino, but the team could add another soon, or it might wait as teams across the league pare down their kickers. Proven kickers such as 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 4-of-8 in the most recent Dallas practice Saturday, including 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 1-of-3 in end-of-game situations 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 a kicker.

Last year, the training camp kicker battle featured Jonathan Garibay and Lirim Hajrullahu, but after they struggled early, Dallas 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.

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