Pittsburgh Steelers sign DE Jahvaree Ritzie

Pittsburgh's signing of defensive end Jahvaree Ritzie earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a verdict that reflects the low financial commitment but modest upside of adding depth at a premium position during the preseason window. At $885K on a one-year deal, this is a minimum-salary or near-minimum signing—the kind of transaction that carries zero cap risk and zero dead-money liability, making it essentially a free look at a roster bubble candidate. Ritzie slots into the replacement-level tier, a defensive end brought in to compete for depth snaps or special-teams reps rather than as an immediate contributor to Pittsburgh's defensive line rotation. The CVI grade acknowledges the value math: you're paying pennies for a longshot with minimal guaranteed exposure, which is always prudent asset allocation in the preseason, but there's no upside lever to pull if he underperforms—he's expendable from dollar one. With the Steelers currently holding the #4 AFC seed at 10-7, adding cheap depth pieces is the right move strategically, though Ritzie's role remains purely contingent on whether he can prove out against veteran and draft competition before September. This deal represents smart housekeeping rather than a statement move, and the C+ reflects exactly that: low risk, low reward, perfectly calibrated for a team in win-now mode with cap flexibility to preserve.