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Grade Las Vegas Raiders sign Matt Gay
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Quick Reaction
Sentiment Analysis
C+
Mixed
NegativeMixedPositive
Raiders puzzlingly replace reliable Pro Bowl kicker Carlson with unproven Gay—a head-scratching decision. Multiple outlets grade this signing negatively, questioning the logic behind replacing above-average production. Gay lacks track record and credibility compared to Carlson's consistent performance and clutch execution. Fans express confusion and frustration over losing a proven weapon at a critical position. Las Vegas will likely regret this move unless Gay unexpectedly outperforms expectations significantly this season.
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Contract Value Index (CVI)
C
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Matt Gay's one-year, $1.6M signing deal earns a C Contract Value Index (CVI), reflecting a pragmatic but unspectacular kicker allocation for a rebuilding roster. Gay is a solid-to-above-average specialist in his tier—capable of handling the job without elite consistency—and at $1.6M AAV he's neither overpaying nor securing a bargain; this is fair-market rate for a proven, replacement-flexible placekicker. The single-year structure insulates Las Vegas from long-term commitment risk, a sensible approach for a team sitting at 3-14 with significant roster reconstruction ahead, though it also signals the franchise isn't banking on Gay as a multi-year cornerstone. The C grade reflects that Gay is competent and the price is neutral—he's neither a salary-cap steal nor a bloated mistake, just a functional fill-in on a team with far greater offensive and defensive needs to address. For a Raiders squad entering offseason retooling, this is the kind of low-stakes, low-dollar transaction that shouldn't move the needle on team trajectory either way; the real cap decisions will come at quarterback, edge rush, and secondary.
Contract Details
- Length
- 1 year
- Total Value
- $1.6M
- AAV
- $1.6M
- Guaranteed
- $1.4M
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About this NFL transaction
The Las Vegas Raiders signed Matt Gay (PK) on March 11, 2026. FanVerdicts covers every reported NFL move — and asks fans to weigh in on each one. Cast your Fan Verdict on this move, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — sentiment and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C, Sentiment C+.
Contract details below show the years, total value, average annual value, and guaranteed money behind the Contract Value Index read. That read does not change once written — it reflects market expectations at the moment of signing, recomputed only if the contract is restructured.
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