Every NFL deal, ranked by the Contract Value Index — our grade for what a team actually gets back per dollar committed.
In a hard-cap league, the team that wins the dollar usually wins the season. This page strips away raw stats and asks a single question of every NFL signing, trade, and extension: how much on-field value is the team actually buying per dollar committed?
That answer is our Contract Value Index (CVI) — FanVerdicts’ flagship contract-value grade. Below, we rank the deals that return the most (and least) for the money, then split out the league’s most overpaid contracts from its quietest bargains.
These are the verdicts you can’t get from a stat sheet: a Pro Bowl season on a rookie deal can grade higher than an All-Pro year on a max contract, because value is about the gap between pay and production, not production alone.
Cuts and releases are excluded — the Contract Value Index is not a valid signal on a non-contract move. Grades reflect value to the team, not raw talent.
Contracts where NFL front offices are getting the most back per dollar. These earn the strongest Contract Value Index (CVI) grades on the board.
| # | Player |
|---|
| Avg / Yr |
|---|
| CVI |
|---|
| 1 | Jahmyr GibbsRB · Detroit Lions | $4.5M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · Las Vegas Raiders | $4.5M | A A |
| 3 | Calais CampbellDT · Baltimore Ravens | $5.5M | A A |
| 4 | Quincy WilliamsLB · Cleveland Browns | $6.5M | A A |
| 5 | Nick FolkPK · Atlanta Falcons | $4.5M | A- A- |
| 6 | Chris OlaveWR · New Orleans Saints | $4.8M | A- A- |
| 7 | Chris RodriguezRB · Jacksonville Jaguars | $5.0M | A- A- |
| 8 | Mike JacksonCB · Carolina Panthers | $5.3M | A- A- |
| 9 | Dee AlfordCB · Buffalo Bills | $5.3M | A- A- |
| 10 | Drake LondonWR · Atlanta Falcons | $5.4M | A- A- |
| 11 | Bijan RobinsonRB · Atlanta Falcons | $5.5M | A- A- |
| 12 | Colston LovelandTE · Chicago Bears | $6.7M | A- A- |
The contracts our grading flags as the weakest returns relative to cost — the deals most likely to age poorly.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laremy TunsilOT · Free Agent | $30.1M | F F |
| 2 | Travis EtienneRB · Carolina Panthers | $11.8M | D- D- |
| 3 | John BatesTE · Free Agent | $7.0M | D- D- |
| 4 | Mike Ford Jr.CB · Atlanta Falcons | $5.7M | D- D- |
| 5 | Jaelan PhillipsLB · Carolina Panthers | $30.0M | D D |
| 6 | Nik BonittoLB · Denver Broncos | $26.5M | D D |
| 7 | Alim McneillDT · Detroit Lions | $24.3M | D D |
| 8 | Boye MafeLB · Cincinnati Bengals | $20.0M | D D |
| 9 | Josh SweatLB · Arizona Cardinals | $19.1M | D D |
| 10 | K'Lavon ChaissonLB · Washington Commanders | $11.0M | D D |
| 11 | Chance CampbellLB · Philadelphia Eagles | $10.9M | D D |
| 12 | Brandon SmithWR · Pittsburgh Steelers | $10.0M | D D |
High average-annual-value contracts carrying a weak CVI grade — big money, light return. Ranked by how far the grade falls and how large the commitment is.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laremy TunsilOT · Free Agent | $30.1M | F F |
| 2 | Travis EtienneRB · Carolina Panthers | $11.8M | D- D- |
| 3 | Jaelan PhillipsLB · Carolina Panthers | $30.0M | D D |
| 4 | Nik BonittoLB · Denver Broncos | $26.5M | D D |
| 5 | Alim McneillDT · Detroit Lions | $24.3M | D D |
| 6 | Boye MafeLB · Cincinnati Bengals | $20.0M | D D |
| 7 | Josh SweatLB · Arizona Cardinals | $19.1M | D D |
| 8 | K'Lavon ChaissonLB · Washington Commanders | $11.0M | D D |
| 9 | Jordan DavisDT · Philadelphia Eagles | $26.0M | D+ D+ |
| 10 | Milton WilliamsDE · New England Patriots | $26.0M | D+ D+ |
Strong CVI grades on below-median salaries — the bargains a smart front office locked up. The closest thing to a free win on the ledger.
| # | Player | Avg / Yr | CVI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jahmyr GibbsRB · Detroit Lions | $4.5M | A+ A+ |
| 2 | Brock BowersTE · Las Vegas Raiders | $4.5M | A A |
| 3 | Calais CampbellDT · Baltimore Ravens | $5.5M | A A |
| 4 | Quincy WilliamsLB · Cleveland Browns | $6.5M | A A |
| 5 | Nick FolkPK · Atlanta Falcons | $4.5M | A- A- |
| 6 | Chris OlaveWR · New Orleans Saints | $4.8M | A- A- |
| 7 | Chris RodriguezRB · Jacksonville Jaguars | $5.0M | A- A- |
| 8 | Mike JacksonCB · Carolina Panthers | $5.3M | A- A- |
| 9 | Dee AlfordCB · Buffalo Bills | $5.3M | A- A- |
| 10 | Drake LondonWR · Atlanta Falcons | $5.4M | A- A- |
The Contract Value Index (CVI) is FanVerdicts' grade for how much on-field value a team captures for every dollar of a contract — weighing pay against production, role, and term. It is the platform's flagship contract-value grade. A high CVI grade means the team is winning the deal; a low grade means it is paying a premium it may not recover. Read the full methodology.