San Francisco 49ers sign DL Bryson Eason

The signing of Bryson Eason earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a middling grade that reflects the inherent uncertainty baked into a post-draft signing of an undrafted prospect at a premium position. At $1.03M AAV on a three-year deal totaling $3.1M, this is a minimum-range contract — the kind of low-cost, low-risk roster move that NFL front offices execute purely to build out depth and competition in training camp. Eason arrives as a developmental piece at defensive line, a position where the gap between practice squad potential and legitimate roster contributor is wide and frequently never bridged. The CVI holds steady at C+ because the deal itself is structurally sound — San Francisco isn't overcommitting financially — but the value equation hinges almost entirely on whether Eason can carve out a role beyond camp fodder. His draft slide complicates the upside narrative; players who fall out of the draft entirely carry a lower baseline probability of cracking a 53-man roster, let alone becoming a meaningful contributor. The 49ers' offseason sentiment grade has been steady at C- over the last 30 days, and this signing does nothing to move that needle in either direction — it's background transaction business, not a statement move. The three-year structure gives the organization time to develop Eason without burning cap flexibility, but unless he distinguishes himself in the preseason, his arc likely runs through the practice squad rather than active game-day rosters.