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Grade Buffalo Bills sign DT Zane Durant
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Quick Reaction
Sentiment Analysis
C+
Mixed
NegativeMixedPositive
Bills add athletic depth at DT with a mid-round developmental pick. Five headlines highlight Durant's physical tools and rotational potential as a prospect. Penn State pedigree and explosive athleticism signal genuine upside for a rebuilding position. Fans view this as a solid depth move rather than an immediate impact addition. Durant projects as a backup contributor who could develop into a useful rotation piece.
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Contract Value Index (CVI)
C+
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
The Bills' signing of Zane Durant to a four-year deal worth $4.76M total—averaging just under $1.19M per year—earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a fair-market valuation that reflects the modest financial commitment and depth-piece role this transaction represents. At that price point, the Bills are operating in true roster-filler territory, the kind of low-risk, low-cost addition that teams make to fill out defensive line rotation without meaningful cap strain; Durant's $1.19M AAV barely registers against Buffalo's cap space in a preseason market flush with sub-$2M depth signings. The value equation here is straightforward: the Bills are betting on marginal production at minimal financial risk, which is exactly what the CVI grade suggests—neither overpaying nor finding a bargain, just executing a vanilla transaction at market rate for a reserve interior lineman. With 114 days until regular season kickoff, the front office is clearly still building depth along the defensive line rather than chasing impact, a patience-driven approach consistent with the team's #6 AFC seed positioning and desire to avoid bloated contracts that might hamstring flexibility down the stretch. The four-year structure locks in predictability without tying the Bills to a long-term commitment they'll regret; if Durant underperforms or injury forces a roster shift, the dead-cap hit remains manageable.
Contract Details
- Length
- 4 years
- Total Value
- $4.8M
- AAV
- $1.2M
- Guaranteed
- $379K
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About this NFL transaction
The Buffalo Bills signed Zane Durant (DT) on May 7, 2026. FanVerdicts covers every reported NFL move — and asks fans to weigh in on each one. Cast your Fan Verdict on this move, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — sentiment and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C+, Sentiment C+.
Contract details below show the years, total value, average annual value, and guaranteed money behind the Contract Value Index read. That read does not change once written — it reflects market expectations at the moment of signing, recomputed only if the contract is restructured.
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