Pittsburgh Steelers sign Dean Lowry

Dean Lowry's one-year, $1.3M signing earns a **B- Contract Value Index (CVI)**, reflecting solid depth reinforcement at a price that doesn't strain the cap. The defensive lineman is being retained on a minimal commitment that signals the Steelers view him as a reliable rotation piece rather than a cornerstone contributor—the short term and low AAV suggest a camp-competition or veteran-minimum floor deal that favors organizational continuity. For a franchise currently sitting at 10-7 and fighting for playoff seeding, adding familiar interior line depth in the offseason without cap burden is pragmatic roster construction. The CVI grade reflects modest risk: at $1.3M, there's almost no downside if Lowry underperforms, while re-signing a known quantity beats the volatility of free agency or late-round speculation. The uptick in the Steelers' recent CVI trend—moving from C- to C+ over the last month—suggests the front office is making value-conscious decisions that build flexibility heading into the regular season, and this deal exemplifies that restraint-first approach.