Cowboys News: Brett Maher Cut Amid Struggles, Kai Forbath Signs Contract

The Dallas Cowboys announced Monday that kicker Brett Maher was released and veteran Kai Forbath was signed to replace him. 

Per the team's press release, the Cowboys also worked out Nick Rose and Tristan Vizcaino before settling on Forbath. 

Maher, 30, struggled mightily in his 13 games with the team this year, finishing 20-of-30 on field-goal attempts and 36-of-36 on extra points. Maher's undoing was his inability to hit consistently from 40 yards or beyond. He was 1-of-5 between 40-49 yards and 4-of-8 in kicks at 50 yards or longer. 

And after missing four field goals in the past three games, his time in Dallas inevitably came to a close. 

Add him to the list of issues for a disappointing Dallas team that has lost seven of its past 10 games and three in a row. The Cowboys are a sobering 0-6 against teams with winning records this season, placing head coach Jason Garrett firmly on the hot seat yet again.  

And things don't get easier anytime soon, with a matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15 and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16. The Cowboys, amazingly, could lose against the Rams and still win the division by winning their last two games, as a second win against the Eagles would give them the head-to-head tiebreaker in the NFC East. 

Adding some stability at kicker should help, though Forbath isn't exactly an elite option. He's appeared in just four games over the past two seasons, going 5-for-6 on field goals and 4-for-5 on extra points. In his last full season in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings, he finished 32-of-38 on field goals and a disappointing 34-of-39 on extra points. 

Given Maher's immense struggles, however, Forbath represents an upgrade. For a Dallas team desperate to scratch and claw its way to an NFC East title, any upgrades help.