(Editor's Note: With the offseason program in the rearview mirror, it's time to look ahead. As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 key players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. We'll continue with kicker Tristan Vizcaino.)
How He Got Here: OK, try to stay with me on this, because it's a doozy of a ride. Vizcaino entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 after trying out for the Jets, out of the University of Washington, as a member of the Bengals. He was waived during final roster cuts that same year but then signed to a futures deal with the Cowboys in 2020 before being waived in April and rejoining the Bengals in August 2020.
He'd then go on to spend time with the Vikings, 49ers, Bills, Chargers, Patriots, Cardinals, the Patriots again … and now he's back for a second try with the Cowboys — all in a matter of five years. He's yet to dig his roots into the NFL, but continues to persevere in his mission to do so.
What's Next: Show up and show out. There is no other way to describe what needs to happen in training camp for Vizcaino is he wants to stick with the Cowboys this time around, and especially considering it's "likely" the team brings on a more proven veteran before camp, per owner and general manager Jerry Jones, and with free agency still including names like Mason Crosby (who has a pre-existing relationship with head coach Mike McCarthy), Robbie Gould and the team also perusing the XFL and USFL ranks, you can bet Vizcaino won't be the only kicker in camp before it's all said-and-done. So, yes, he has to show up and show out.
Bet You Didn't Know: Despite being an NFL journeyman to this point, Vizcaino is still just 26 years old. His youth makes him attractive as a possible long-term option, something the Cowboys haven't found in the post-Dan Bailey era, but it's what he does or does not show in camp that will make the decision on if the club can finally exhale in that regard or if it opts for a more proven leg right now to buy more time to figure out the later, later.
Quotable: "We have Tristan on the roster. Anybody else on Earth who is not on the team right now is under consideration. That's everyone, really." - John "Bones" Fassel from 2023 rookie minicamp
