Indianapolis Colts sign RB Lincoln Pare

Lincoln Pare's three-year, $3.1M signing earns a **C+ Contract Value Index (CVI)** — a middling valuation that reflects the modest investment required for depth-chart insurance at a position where the Colts face roster questions heading into the regular season. At $1.04M AAV, this is a replacement-level contract befitting a back-of-the-roster contributor; Pare is priced as organizational depth rather than a featured offensive weapon. The deal's brevity and modest commitment carry minimal downside risk — there's no massive guaranteed money anchoring the books, and the Colts retain flexibility to pivot if he doesn't fit the scheme or accelerate his way into rotational snaps. The value proposition hinges entirely on whether Pare can carve out a productive reserve role or special-teams impact; at this salary tier, the floor is simply a camp casualty, and the ceiling is a steady No. 2 or committee-back option. With the Colts sitting at 8-9 and eyeing a playoff push in the regular season ahead, this signing functions as organizational housekeeping — low-cost roster building that doesn't move the needle on either cap flexibility or competitive window, but doesn't mortgage the future either. The C+ CVI captures that reality: competent allocation of cap space for a marginal contributor, neither a steal nor a blunder.