Dallas Cowboys sign TE Princeton Fant

Princeton Fant's signing earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a grade that reflects the inherent tension between the deal's modest financial commitment and the uncertainty surrounding his immediate impact on a Dallas roster that finished 7-9-1 and sits outside playoff positioning. At $1.0625M AAV on a $2.125M total commitment, this is a depth-piece investment rather than a cornerstone addition—the kind of low-risk, low-reward signing that allows a team to address roster needs without major cap burden during the offseason window. The value equation hinges on whether Fant can function as a functional contributor in-season or serve primarily as insurance; the brief contract duration and modest guarantee structure suggest Dallas is betting on the former while protecting itself from the latter. CVI reflects the trade-off clearly: the Cowboys are paying replacement-level money for a player who, if healthy and productive, could deliver above-replacement production, but the signing carries execution risk and offers no obvious defensive anchor to stabilize a struggling unit. This is the type of transaction that neither bolsters nor compromises the front office's flexibility—it's a marginal move that makes sense for a team in holding pattern, though it does nothing to address the structural issues that produced the recent downward sentiment spiral and subpar on-field performance.