Arizona Cardinals release DL Dalvin Tomlinson

The Arizona Cardinals' decision to cut Dalvin Tomlinson earns a D+ Contract Value Index (CVI)—a move that reflects poor asset management rather than smart salary relief. At $6.2M AAV on a one-year commitment, Tomlinson was a mid-tier defensive line contributor, but releasing him mid-offseason suggests the organization either misjudged his fit within their scheme or faced cap constraints severe enough to force a below-average roster decision. The timing and structure indicate this wasn't a cost-cutting masterstroke; instead, it reads as a sunk-cost correction that could have been avoided through better initial roster construction. For a Cardinals team already mired at 3-14 with an L9 streak and minimal near-term trajectory momentum, jettisoning a solid contributor—however marginal his ceiling—weakens depth at a position group that rarely has excess talent available. The CVI grade reflects not just the transaction's immediate cap impact, but the broader signal: the front office is scrambling to patch holes rather than building systematically, a pattern that tends to compound over an offseason.