Buffalo Bills sign TE Shane Zylstra

Shane Zylstra's one-year, $1.215M signing with Buffalo earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a fair-value deal that reflects his depth-piece role and low financial commitment. At tight end for an AFC East contender sitting at 12–5 and holding the sixth seed, the Bills are adding low-cost insurance behind their primary pass-catchers rather than betting on Zylstra as a featured target; the minimal AAV and single-year structure indicate the organization views this as a camp-and-roster-bubble acquisition with no long-term financial anchor. The CVI assessment reflects sound value discipline — Buffalo is not overpaying for marginal depth, nor are they underselling the position relative to market rates for reserve tight ends. Zylstra's contract carries zero dead-cap risk and preserves cap flexibility heading into the regular season, a critical consideration for a franchise positioned to compete in the playoff window. This is a low-stakes, low-reward signing: if he sticks and provides depth snaps, the Bills got production at replacement-level wages; if he doesn't, the $1.215M hit is negligible against the salary cap. The grade reflects neither a bargain nor a misstep, but rather competent roster management in the preseason phase.