Pittsburgh Steelers sign CB Devan Boykin

Boykin's signing earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a middling grade that reflects the modest upside of a low-cost depth addition against the uncertainty of what he can deliver at the NFL level. At cornerback, a position where the gap between a solid starter and roster filler can be brutally unforgiving, Boykin enters Pittsburgh as a developmental piece rather than an immediate contributor penciled into a starting role. The $1.04M AAV on a three-year deal totaling $3.13M is about as cap-friendly as it gets — the Steelers are essentially paying minimum-wage money for a speculative bet, which limits the downside considerably if he never develops into a meaningful rotation piece. That salary floor is precisely why the CVI doesn't crater lower: you can't meaningfully overpay a player at this price point, and the three-year structure gives the coaching staff legitimate runway to evaluate him without committing significant resources. The risk, however, is opportunity cost — roster spots are finite, and a developmental cornerback who never cracks the active game-day rotation provides no return on that investment beyond practice reps and depth-chart filler. With the Steelers currently sitting as the AFC's fourth seed and the regular season still months away, there's time for Boykin to make a case during camp, but the CVI reflects a transaction that is situationally sound in cost management while remaining unproven in actual football value.