FRISCO, Texas – While it seems like the Cowboys are sticking by veteran kicker Brett Maher for Sunday's playoff game, they are at least adding some depth behind him.
The Cowboys have signed kicker Tristan Vizcaino to the practice squad, adding a possible insurance policy in case the team wants to bring him to the game alongside Maher.
Vizcaino has been on four teams since 2020, including two different squads this season. He made two field goals and all three extra points in his one game with the Cardinals, and only handled kickoffs in a game played with the Patriots.
In 2021, he played six games for the Chargers, hitting 6-of-7 field goals but made only 10 of his 15 extra-point attempts. Vizcaino also played for the 49ers in 2020 for just one game, but made all three field goals and both extra points.
Overall, he's made 91.7 percent of his field goals (11/12) but just 75.0 percent on extra points (15/20).
To compare, Maher has made 81 percent of his field goals and 95.5 percent of his extra points before this year's playoff game.
NFL rules allow teams to elevate two players from the practice squad on game day, in addition to the 53-man roster. Still, the Cowboys must fit them into the game-day roster and it wouldn't be easy to justify having two kickers in uniform.
But it's also likely they would've preferred another option on Monday night when Maher missed four consecutive extra points, before finally making his last attempt.
Maher has missed just three extra points all regular season (two were blocked), hitting 50 of 53 attempts. He had also missed just three field goals, including two from 59 yards out.
So Monday's game was definitely uncharacteristic from Maher, who was tied for third in the NFL with 137 points scored, the most by a Cowboys kicker in franchise history.
