Dallas Cowboys sign LB Justin Barron

# Justin Barron Signing Analysis — Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys' signing of linebacker Justin Barron earns a **C+ Contract Value Index (CVI)**, a middling valuation that reflects a depth addition carrying modest but real risk at the price point. Barron enters the fold on a deal worth $2.965M total, averaging just under $988K annually—true replacement-level compensation that suggests Dallas views him as a roster-depth contributor rather than a core contributor to their linebacker rotation. At that salary tier, the Cowboys are buying optionality and special-teams value with minimal cap constraint; there's no dead-weight risk here, and the short-term commitment allows for easy exit if performance doesn't materialize. The CVI calculation flags some concern in the age-cost ratio, however, suggesting that while the base salary is manageable, the value proposition hinges entirely on Barron's ability to prove he can stay healthy and competitive within the linebacker room—a proposition that grows riskier the further we move from his productive years. For a team sitting at 7-9-1 and outside the playoff picture, this is the kind of low-stakes gamble that doesn't move the needle but won't cripple future flexibility either; it's a shrewd minimalist move that fits the preseason window, though it underscores that depth at linebacker remains unsolved.