Pittsburgh Steelers sign LB Daylan Carnell

Daylan Carnell's signing earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a grade that reflects the modest upside of a depth addition at a salary floor price against the uncertainty of an unproven player transitioning from college to the professional level. At $1.03M AAV on a three-year deal totaling $3.1M, this is about as low-risk as NFL contracts get — the Steelers are essentially paying close to the minimum to take a flier on a Mizzou-developed defensive back who the data lists at linebacker, suggesting some versatility in how Pittsburgh intends to deploy him. The CVI lands in the middle of the grading curve largely because the contract structure is sound from a cap perspective, but Carnell brings no established NFL production to anchor a higher valuation. For a team sitting at 10-7 and holding the AFC's fourth seed heading into the offseason, adding developmental depth at below-market rates is a reasonable roster-construction strategy, even if this particular signing carries negligible short-term impact. The three-year length gives the Steelers time to evaluate whether Carnell can carve out a special-teams role or grow into a legitimate depth contributor, but it also signals this is a developmental bet rather than an immediate solution. The value equation here is almost entirely about roster optionality — at $3.1M total, the downside exposure is minimal, and if Carnell develops, the Steelers lock in that production at a bargain rate for years. This is a low-ceiling, low-floor move that earns its average grade precisely because it neither impresses nor concerns from a cap management standpoint.