Like every NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys were tasked with getting their roster down to the 80-man limit by Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline. One player who didn't make the cut was kicker Lirim Hajrullahu, leaving Brett Maher as the team's only active kicker heading into Dallas' preseason finale against the Seahawks.
Hajrullahu made each of his five point-after attempts during his four games with the Cowboys last season. He also spent time with the Panthers, where he went 4 of 5 on field goal attempts while making all eight of his point-after attempts.
Maher spent the 2018 and '19 seasons with the Cowboys before playing last season for the Saints. During his first go-around in Dallas, Maher made 74.2% of his field goal tries and 98.6% of his point-after attempts. In eight games with the Saints, Maher made a career-high 88.9% of his field goal attempts and 83.3% of his point-after attempts. The 32-year-old Maher has four of the five longest-made field goals in Cowboys history, including a 63-yard kick against the Eagles in 2019.
Maher has struggled with his mid-range accuracy, however. He's made 20 of his 25 career field goal attempts from 30-39 yards and 12 of his 20 attempts from 40-49 yards.
The Cowboys will open the season with a home game against the Buccaneers. Dallas was on the short end of a 31-29 decision in their season-opening game against Tampa Bay last season. The Cowboys received a gamely performance that night from Dak Prescott, who threw for 403 yards and three touchdowns after missing most of the previous season with a severe leg injury.
