Cincinnati Bengals sign RB Jamal Haynes

Signing Jamal Haynes to a three-year deal at roughly $1M AAV is a textbook minimum-range roster move — this is fair value for what the contract is actually designed to accomplish. At $1,033,667 per year with a near-zero guaranteed figure of just $1,000, the Bengals are essentially acquiring a low-cost depth piece with virtually no financial commitment, the kind of deal that carries roster-filler expectations rather than starter-level stakes. Haynes earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), which reflects the disconnect between the negligible salary risk and the limited ceiling this type of signing typically represents — you're not overpaying, but you're also not acquiring a difference-maker. The contract's structure is as favorable as it gets from a cap-risk standpoint: the near-zero guarantee means Cincinnati can move on without consequence at any point, making this essentially a tryout dressed in a three-year framework. For a team sitting at 6-11 and looking for answers at the skill positions, the CVI grade signals this move neither accelerates a solution nor creates a problem — it's the organizational equivalent of keeping options open on the cheap. Haynes will need to carve out a role on special teams or as an emergency back to justify even the modest investment, and the contract structure gives the coaching staff every incentive to let the competition play out without roster-construction consequences.