If the Cowboys make a change at kicker, they need to pursue San Francisco’s Robbie Gould

Getting into the playoffs of the 2022 NFL season, it seemed like the Dallas Cowboys had finally found their kicker in Brett Maher. He had an incredibly efficient regular season, making 29 of his 32 field goal attempts. He went 9/9 for 20-29 yards, 5/5 for 30-39 yards, 6/7 for 40-49 yards, and 9/11 for 50+ yards. Heading into the postseason, Maher’s kicking was pretty low on the Cowboys’ list of concerns for their team.

Then the wild card round happened, in which Maher missed an NFL-record four PATs. It seemed unfathomable after being so consistent all year, but it happened. To make matters worse, he had his first PAT attempt blocked the following week against the San Francisco 49ers.

Even if it hadn’t been blocked, it seemed like it wouldn’t be on target. Whether Maher suddenly hit rock bottom after his great regular season or whether his confidence was shaken in the playoffs, the front office took notice.

On February 1, Jerry Jones said Maher’s team would move on and start over at the kicker position.

That feels like a potentially wrong move for the Dallas Cowboys. A poor playoff stretch shouldn’t make up for the incredible season Maher has had with the team. It’s important to remember that Maher has not only been consistent with his accuracy throughout the season, he also has an incredibly strong leg. He has netted four 60-yard field goals over the course of his career, while no other kicker in league history has netted more than two.

If the Cowboys front office has truly decided to move in a different direction at the position, they should be looking at a familiar foe. San Francisco 49ers kicker Robbie Gould is currently a free agent and the most attractive option out there.

Gould is an experienced kicker, currently aged 40; In his playoff career, however, he was nothing short of perfect. During his 16 career playoff games, he has 29/29 in field goals and 39/39 in extra points. In particular, he was incredibly efficient against the Dallas Cowboys in the postseason.

In their wild card matchup in the 2021 playoffs, Gould went 3/3 on field goal attempts and 2/2 on extra point attempts. In their divisional matchup in the 2022 playoffs, Gould went 4/4 on field goal attempts and also made his only extra point attempt.

Gould might not be the answer of the future for the Cowboys, but considering the Dallas front office approached this offseason with a goal of “Win Now,” it makes sense that Gould be signed for the upcoming season.

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