Deon Bush

Career StatsC-

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		103	3	11	110
2025		1	0	0	1
2024		2	0	0	3
2023		6	0	0

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

This Deon Bush signing represents solid value acquisition for a team needing safety depth, earning a B- CVI that reflects smart roster management at the margins. Bush's rotational player production tier aligns well with his $1.3M AAV price point — you're getting exactly what you pay for without any premium attached to name recognition or past accomplishments. At 29 years old, the veteran safety is in that sweet spot where his experience and football IQ can still contribute meaningfully while his physical tools remain serviceable, making this a low-risk veteran addition rather than a developmental gamble. The contract structure heavily favors the signing team with just $400K guaranteed against a $1.3M total commitment, creating an easy exit ramp if Bush doesn't fit or younger players emerge during training camp. For a rotational safety who can step into spot duty and contribute on special teams, this deal checks all the boxes without breaking the bank — exactly the type of under-the-radar move that helps fill out a competitive roster while maintaining salary cap flexibility.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the B band — a quick read on where Deon's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance Analysis

Tape review and box-score baselines converge on a C- performance grade for Deon Bush. At 32 years old and 10 seasons into his career, Bush operates as a replacement-level safety whose limited 2025 season—just 1 game and 1 tackle—offers virtually no meaningful production data to evaluate. His career-long output of 3 interceptions and 11 pass deflections across a decade underscores that he never developed into a high-impact defender, instead filling a depth-piece role throughout his tenure. The catastrophic Achilles injury that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season isn't merely a statistical footnote; it represents a career-threatening setback for a player who was already operating on the margins of roster relevance at a modest $1.3M salary. Coming off a severe lower-body injury at 32, Bush faces the brutal calculus of free agency as an older safety with modest production history and no elite tape to offset durability concerns. His path back to regular playing time—if one exists—hinges entirely on a medically improbable recovery and a team willing to gamble on veteran depth at a position where younger, healthier options are readily available.

How Deon Compares at the Position

Deon Bush ranks 120th of 196 graded safeties by performance. That slots Deon between Russ Yeast (C-) just ahead and Lonnie Johnson Jr. (C-) just behind.

Current Sentiment

Deon Bush's public perception has cratered to rock bottom following a season-ending Achilles injury that has essentially erased him from the NFL conversation entirely. The catastrophic injury narrative has completely overshadowed any discussion of his veteran presence or nine years of experience, leaving Bush as little more than a cautionary tale about the brutal realities of football longevity. His modest career production—just 3 interceptions and 11 pass deflections over nearly a decade—provides no cushion against the injury headlines, while his replacement-level $1.3M salary signals that teams already viewed him as a fringe roster player before the Achilles tear. The disconnect between his F-grade sentiment and D-level performance isn't dramatic, as Bush was already operating in journeyman territory, but the injury has pushed public perception from "forgettable depth piece" to "career likely over." Only a remarkable comeback story or an unexpected strong camp performance with a new team could begin to rehabilitate his standing, but at 30-plus coming off a major lower-body injury, Bush faces the harsh reality that the football world has essentially moved on from his story.