
RB · Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 transaction this offseason
Draft
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Grade DeShawnn McKnight
Your grade joins the crowd-sourced Fan Verdict.
On the books, the Contract Value Index reads C, fairly priced. The public read is negative (D+ Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Length
3 years
Total Value
$3.1M
Guaranteed
$258K
AAV
$1.0M/yr
DeShawnn McKnight's Contract Value Index lands at C, putting the deal in a defined slice of comparable signings. At $1.04M AAV over three years, this is a minimal financial commitment for a depth-piece running back, which aligns with the Buccaneers' evident offseason strategy of low-risk roster competition. McKnight's undrafted free agent status and the sparse media coverage surrounding his signing—filed alongside five other UDFA acquisitions in mid-May—underscore that Tampa Bay views him primarily as a camp body and developmental prospect rather than a plug-and-play contributor. The sentiment grade of D+ reflects fan and media indifference; this is organizational due diligence, not a headline move, and the contract reflects that positioning. Given the Buccaneers' 8-9 record and current roster construction needs, the three-year structure provides minimal risk and allows the team flexibility to evaluate McKnight in training camp without meaningful salary consequences. A C-grade CVI is fair for a sub-$1.1M annual commitment to an undrafted prospect—it's neither an aggressive bargain nor a misstep, simply a low-stakes depth signing consistent with how NFL teams build around their core.
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where DeShawnn's contract sits relative to comparable money.
DeShawnn McKnight has not yet appeared in an NFL regular season game. A performance grade will be automatically generated once career statistics become available and the 16-game minimum is reached.
DeShawnn McKnight's public perception scores a D+ sentiment grade as fan and media tone converge. The narrative framing around McKnight is decidedly muted—Tampa Bay added him as an undrafted free agent competing for depth and developmental opportunity, a move treated as organizational housekeeping rather than a meaningful roster upgrade. Media coverage has been minimal, and fan interest matches that restraint; this is clearly a camp body competing for practice squad consideration rather than a rotational contributor expected to earn significant snaps in 2026. The Buccaneers' recent activity—a string of UDFA and backup signings across linebacker, quarterback, receiver, cornerback, and special teams—frames McKnight as part of a routine depth-building offseason rather than a signal of urgency or confidence in his ceiling. The D+ grade reflects a straightforward reality: McKnight arrives with no established track record, no media momentum, and minimal expectation beyond proving he belongs on a professional roster.
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DeShawnn McKnight is a player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster listed at RB for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. FanVerdicts maintains four independent grades for every NFL player on an active roster — Contract Value Index for the deal itself, Performance for on-field production, Sentiment for media and fan reaction, and Fan Verdict for community voting. Current grades for DeShawnn McKnight: Contract Value Index C, Performance pending, Sentiment D+, Fan Verdict pending.
Every grade refreshes on its own cadence as new data lands. Performance recalculates when NFL game stats post; Sentiment updates with new media coverage and fan discussion; Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change; Fan Verdict reflects live community voting on this profile. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) the Contract Value Index grade is computed against.
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