Cincinnati Bengals sign LB Liam Anderson

Cincinnati's one-year, $1.005M signing of Liam Anderson earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), reflecting a depth-piece acquisition struck at a price point that avoids outright waste but offers minimal margin for upside. At the linebacker position, a sub-$1M annual commitment signals the Bengals view Anderson as a backup or situational contributor rather than a featured piece, which is the appropriate tier for this salary; the one-year structure limits commitment risk and keeps the deal off the books quickly. The CVI reflects competing pressures: the age curve and salary score create modest inefficiency (Anderson is being paid in the lower quartile, but the contract structure doesn't capitalize on any obvious value advantage), and a depth role in Cincinnati's current roster context—where the team sits at 6-11 with limited margin for error—means this signing is about depth maintenance rather than impact creation. This is the kind of transaction you execute in the offseason without fanfare: competent roster construction that neither excites nor alarms. For a linebacker on the margins, $1.005M for one year is fair-market pricing with no hidden leverage, which is precisely what the CVI grade reflects—neutral competence without distinction.