Cleveland Browns sign TE Caden Prieskorn

The Cleveland Browns' signing of tight end Caden Prieskorn earns a B- Contract Value Index (CVI), a rational depth move that balances minimal financial exposure with positional flexibility as the organization enters an offseason rebuild following a 5-12 campaign. At $885K total on a one-year deal, this is a league-minimum-tier commitment — the kind of low-risk, high-optionality signing that costs almost nothing against the salary cap and carries zero dead-money exposure if performance doesn't materialize. Prieskorn projects as a reserve or developmental tight end contributor rather than a core offensive piece, which aligns perfectly with the contract's modest AAV; the CVI grade reflects that the deal's structure and duration create no liability regardless of on-field results. The real value here lies in organizational flexibility: for less than $1M, Cleveland adds a body at a position where depth rotations matter, and the front office can walk away with one year's decision without penalty. This is the kind of no-downside transaction that keeps rosters fluid during transition periods — it doesn't move the needle on a 5-12 team's immediate trajectory, but it exemplifies smart capital allocation when every dollar matters in building an NFL roster.