Arizona Cardinals sign CB Elijah Culp

**Arizona Cardinals Sign CB Elijah Culp to Below-Market Deal** The Arizona Cardinals' signing of cornerback Elijah Culp to a $1.0M AAV contract represents solid value acquisition in today's inflated free agent market, earning a C+ on the Contract Value Index (CVI). While Culp profiles as a middling starter with limited upside, his modest salary demands make this a low-risk gamble for a Cardinals secondary that needed depth and competition. The $1.0M figure sits well below the current market rate for proven cornerbacks, suggesting Arizona identified potential that other teams overlooked or that Culp's market was suppressed by concerns about his ceiling. This signing fits the Cardinals' apparent strategy of adding affordable pieces rather than splashing cash on marquee names, though the move lacks the impact potential to dramatically alter their defensive trajectory. Ultimately, this represents the type of shrewd roster-building that can pay dividends if Culp exceeds modest expectations, making it a defensible allocation of limited salary cap resources.