New York Jets sign LB Kendrick Blackshire

The Jets' signing of linebacker Kendrick Blackshire earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a verdict that reflects fair-market value for a depth piece in an offseason rebuild. At $1.035M AAV over three years ($3.105M total), this is a modest commitment that slots comfortably into the linebacker market's lower-tier entry point — the kind of short-money deal teams use to fill roster holes without cap strain. The equation here is straightforward: Blackshire carries minimal financial risk and maximum positional flexibility, meaning the Jets are not overpaying for his services, but they're also not acquiring a discount-bin bargain. For a 3-14 team in the offseason phase, low-cost depth signings like this allow front offices to iterate without being handcuffed by contract ballast; if Blackshire emerges as a reliable contributor, the value improves; if he doesn't, the sunk cost is negligible. The CVI of C+ reflects the unsexiness of the deal itself — not a steal, not an anchor, just a functional two-way street where both sides get what they're paying for. This is exactly the type of pedestrian roster construction move that neither sinks nor salvages a rebuild, making it a fair value proposition in the linebacker market at that price point.