Miami Dolphins sign ILB Jacob Rodriguez

Jacob Rodriguez's four-year, $11.6M deal ($2.9M AAV) earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI) — a fair-value signing that avoids excess but doesn't deliver bargain-bin savings either. At inside linebacker, a role where Miami needs depth contributions rather than star production, Rodriguez slots into the mid-tier of the positional market: he's a solid starter-level performer, but the Dolphins aren't paying for an elite playmaker, and the AAV reflects that reality. The four-year structure keeps the annual hit modest and provides roster flexibility, which is prudent for a team sitting at 7-10 and eyeing cap runway rather than an immediate championship window. Where the deal lands squarely at fair value — neither steal nor overpay — is that the production-to-dollar ratio feels proportional: you're paying a reliable linebacker depth piece exactly what a reliable linebacker depth piece costs in today's market, with no surplus savings and no egregious overage. The risk is modest; the upside is capped by his tier and the modest commitment itself. For a franchise in offseason construction mode, this is a neutral, market-rate transaction that neither helps nor hurts the balance sheet.