Cowboys don't even have to bother looking into rising NFL free agent and that's great news

You just know a large amount of NFL teams have one name in mind in the latter stages of free agency ahead of the 2024 regular season: 

Jake Bates, kicker for the UFL Michigan Panthers. 

Bates has been an absolute beast in the spring league formed by the merger of the USFL and XFL, nailing field goals from 52, 55, 60, 62, and 64 yards out. He's also happened to go 12-for-14 in field goal attempts.

Fortunately, the Dallas Cowboys will be able to avoid the bidding war for Bates' services, who is almost guaranteed to land an NFL job once the UFL season comes to an end in June, as teams including the Detroit Lions are already reaching out to the kicker. 

The best part about it is that the Cowboys are likely a big responsible party for generating the interest after having so much success signing special teams player out of the USFL. 

Last year's All-Pro kicker was none other that former Birmingham Stallion Brandon Aubrey, who was brought in by the Cowboys only for him to take over and have an almost perfect season of 36-of-38 field goal attempts with a long of 60 yards.

Aubrey also hit 92% of his extra point attempts, complementing a top-tier season for a first-year NFL player.

If NFL teams had the slightest concern about spring league players' success translating to the big leagues, Aubrey's track record should've erase it.

Not needing to get involved in the race for a kicker shouldn't be understated: The kicker situation across the league is dire and having somebody like Aubrey on the team can be a difference-maker in down-to-the-wire ballgames. If anyone knows it, it's Cowboys fans, who had gone through a gravel road of kickers after the Dan Bailey days.

Additionally, the Cowboys also happen to have a standout returner in KaVontae Turpin, who won MVP in the USFL before arriving at Dallas. Not only has Turpin succeeded in special teams, he's also earned a legit role on offense in certain situations and finished with 237 yards from scrimmage with four touchdowns.