New Orleans Saints sign LB Jackson Sirmon

The Saints' signing of linebacker Jackson Sirmon earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a grade that reflects modest value in a low-cost, low-risk defensive addition during the offseason. At $885K on a one-year deal, Sirmon slots into the depth-and-special-teams-contributor tier—the kind of minimum-salary or near-minimum arrangement teams use to address positional rotation without creating cap strain. The value equation here is straightforward: New Orleans is paying replacement-level money for what figures to be a reserve linebacker role, avoiding long-term commitment while adding a body with prior NFL experience. For a 6-11 team in offseason mode, this is exactly the kind of transaction that doesn't move the needle either way—it's a sensible, low-stakes fill-in rather than a statement move or a trap contract. The CVI grade reflects that middle ground: not a steal, not a disaster, but a forgettable transaction that makes marginal sense given the cap space available and the team's current competitive standing.