FRISCO – And now you know why it sounds so dumb when Dallas Cowboys watchers bleat, “Just Pay The Man!’‘

What we’ve known about the Cowboys’ approach to signing All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey? We have spoken at length about the proposed money involved in Aubrey’s new deal, what we thought of as in the range of $7 million APY to make him the highest-paid kicker in football.

And we know that talked are ongoing and that they’ve been taking place since last fall.

“We’ve been working on a long-term deal for some time,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said this week. “We’ve exchanged offers and the goal is to get him signed. We’ll tender him before the deadline if that’s what we have to decide.”

But now comes a new wrinkle.

Yes, we’re told, the Cowboys’ view on Aubrey’s deal is that he deserves to be the highest-paid kicker ever – and word is they’ve gone there, offering “close to’‘ $7.5 million per year.

Hey, that’s great! So why are the Cowboys still expected to place a second-round restricted free agent tender on Aubrey, locking him in at about $6 million for the 2026 season?

Because, according to the Dallas News, Aubrey’s side is demanding (wait for it …)

A long-term contract worth $10 million per year.

Wait, what?

Oh, that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker, alright, blowing away KC’s Harrison Butker at $6.4 mil per year.

In fact, it’s about five times greater than the average kicker salary!

Now, it’s worth noting that Aubrey himself reacted to a social media post on all of this with one word: “Fake.’’

This after his wife Jenn did the same, responding, “False.’’

But …

What’s “fake’’? What’s “false’’? The specific numbers cited? Maybe.

The general point that there is a wide gap between what seems to be a handsome offer from the team and what Aubrey wants? Nah.

(Sidebar: Whether it was an emotional accident or a purposeful stroke, I find it bad form to let wives, brothers, dads, moms, cousins, etc. involve themselves in negotiations in public. Word to the wise, “Butter.’‘)

Aubrey is represented by Todd France, who also reps quarterback Dak Prescott. … who is of course by far the NFL’s highest-paid player ever at $60 million APY.

Dallas’ leverage? That tender; it gives the team contractual control.

Aubrey’s hope? To rewrite the way kickers are paid – or maybe just to start the bidding so high that it caused one NFL source to term it to us “outrageous.’’

At some point, maybe the Joneses need to stand up against the idea that every single player on a losing team deserved to be “the highest-paid guy in the history of forever.’’

Seriously, if France comes on Jerry’s Party Bus this week in Indianapolis and demands double what great kickers get and five times was good kickers get?

If I’m the Joneses? I’d show him how powerful my kicking leg is … because I’d kick his butt right off my bus.

Granted, it is just one “demand’’ right now, and with the tender? The Cowboys are in control.

So … with Aubrey, there will eventually be a deal. But “Pay The Man!’’? Nope, not that deal.

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