Tennessee Titans sign OT Ryan Hayes

Ryan Hayes' signing earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI) — a neutral, middle-of-the-road valuation that reflects modest upside tempered by contract constraints and positional execution risk. At $1.0625M AAV on a $2.125M total deal, this is a depth-piece investment rather than a cornerstone signing, and the short-term structure suggests the Titans are treating him as a camp-and-roster-depth probe rather than a long-term solution at offensive tackle. For a franchise sitting at 3-14 with a 0-0 record in the last ten games, adding sub-$2M talent to the offensive line is reasonable opportunistic roster management—the money committed is minimal enough that it doesn't constrain future flexibility—but the CVI grade reflects the reality that this signing, on its own, does not meaningfully alter the Titans' line construction or competitive trajectory. Hayes carries execution risk; at the position, even modest AAV deals require players to deliver immediate scheme fit and durability, neither of which is guaranteed in a low-dollar signing. The CVI holds at C+ because the transaction is prudent and pain-free from a cap perspective, but lacks the upside or proven performance foundation to grade higher in an offseason when the Titans are unlikely to be building around short-term depth signings.