Pittsburgh Steelers sign TE Riley Nowakowski

Riley Nowakowski's signing earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), landing squarely in "fair deal" territory for a roster-building move at the bottom of the depth chart. At a $1.2M AAV against a $4.8M total commitment, this is textbook minimum-range tight end territory — the Steelers aren't betting big here, they're adding developmental depth at one of the NFL's most roster-crunched positions. Nowakowski arrives as a developmental prospect out of Indiana, which means Pittsburgh isn't expecting him to step in and produce; the value calculus here is about upside optionality at a price that carries almost no downside. The contract structure tells the real story: with only $443K guaranteed against a $4.8M total, the Steelers have built in a clean exit if Nowakowski doesn't separate himself on the depth chart, making this an effectively low-risk flier. That minimal guarantee is standard for a player at this stage of his career, and it reflects the front office treating this as a camp competition add rather than a committed roster piece. With the regular season still over 100 days out, there's time for Nowakowski to make a case in preseason reps, but the CVI reflects a signing that's neither a steal nor a waste — just competent roster management at the margins.