Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign WR Dennis Houston

The Buccaneers' signing of WR Dennis Houston earns a C Contract Value Index (CVI), reflecting a modest depth addition at market-rate compensation for a reserve-caliber receiver. At $967,500 AAV on a $1.935M deal, this is a low-commitment, low-cost flyer — the kind of transaction that carries minimal cap consequence and allows Tampa Bay to audition a depth piece without tying up meaningful resources during an offseason when the roster is being reassessed following an 8-9 finish. For a team sitting at the #10 seed in the NFC South, this signing slots Houston into a replacement-level contributor role, the type of camp body or practice-squad candidate who could stick if he outperforms, but carries no expectation of regular snaps. The contract structure — short-term and economical — suggests the Buccaneers are hedging rather than committing, which is the appropriate posture for a signing of this profile and salary. There is no downside risk here; the CVI grade reflects that Houston is simply not a significant mover for either the cap sheet or the competitive equation, just a pragmatic depth addition in the preseason window when rosters are still being finalized.