New Orleans Saints sign LB Dillon Radunz

Dillon Radunz earns a D+ Contract Value Index (CVI) on this signing, a clear marker that the Saints overpaid for a linebacker at a point when roster construction demands precision spending. At $3.45M AAV over two years, this is a middling-to-below-average commitment for a depth or rotational linebacker — the kind of deal that makes sense only if the player profiles as a franchise cornerstone or proven plug-and-play starter, and the data suggests neither applies here. The two-year window locks in moderate salary without the flexibility a rebuilding or marginal-playoff team needs when roster holes demand capital allocation elsewhere. With New Orleans sitting at 6-11 and outside the playoff picture, this signing represents the type of incremental, unproven acquisition that characterizes organizational drift rather than purposeful roster construction. The CVI grade reflects a valuation mismatch: for $13.8M in committed resources over the contract's life, the Saints are banking on a linebacker to move the needle in ways that merit that investment, which is a bet that does not align with market rate for his tier and the team's current competitive standing.