The Baltimore Ravens waived rookie quarterback Diego Pavia less than three months after signing him, the team announced. The former Vanderbilt standout and Heisman Trophy runner-up now enters a 24-hour waiver period ahead of training camp, leaving his immediate NFL future uncertain.
Diego Pavia’s professional tenure in Baltimore concluded before the team even reached training camp (Yahoo Sports). The Baltimore Ravens officially waived the undrafted rookie quarterback on Thursday, July 23, making room on their 90-man roster for veteran center Ethan Pocic (Baltimore Ravens).
Pavia had originally signed a standard three-year undrafted free agent contract in April valued at $3.1 million, which included no guaranteed money (USA Today). That deal matched the terms given to fellow rookie Joe Fagnano (USA Today). Instead of reaching the practice fields in Owings Mill, Maryland (usmagazine.com), the 24-year-old quarterback finds himself looking for a new football home (abqjournal.com).
Roster Crunch and the Quarterback Competition in Baltimore
The Ravens maintained an entrenched quarterback room led by starter Lamar Jackson and backed up by Tyler Huntley (Baltimore Ravens). Behind them, Baltimore narrowed its backup competition to veteran Skylar Thompson and rookie Joe Fagnano (Fox News). Team leadership ultimately decided against carrying three separate players competing for the third-string role (Fox News).
Pavia initially came to Baltimore partly due to organizational familiarity. Head Coach Jesse Minter established a close relationship with Vanderbilt Head Coach Clark Lea—who hired Minter as his defensive coordinator in 2021—and leaned on that connection during the evaluation process (Baltimore Ravens). Yet spring practices and minicamps demonstrated that the transition from college schemes to the NFL posed steep hurdles.
Evaluating the Transition From College Star to Pro Prospect
Draft analysts long questioned how Pavia’s unorthodox style would scale to the professional level. Measured at 5 feet, 10 ⅛ inches during the NFL combine (USA Today), his height fell below standard measurements for the position (abqjournal.com).
The evaluation noted that while Pavia showed accuracy in short-to-intermediate passing and exceptional competitiveness as a runner (abqjournal.com), the heavy reliance on run-pass-option schemes at Vanderbilt differed from NFL playbooks (abqjournal.com).
Historic College Career and Heisman Recognition
The abrupt NFL exit contrasts sharply with Pavia’s collegiate success. After transferring from New Mexico State, he led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record, marking the first 10-win season in school history (USA Today).
Those performances culminated in a Heisman Trophy runner-up finish behind quarterback Fernando Mendoza, though he also drew attention for a social media outburst directed at voters after the ceremony (usmagazine.com) that he subsequently apologized for (usmagazine.com).
Potential Landing Spots and Career Options
Following his release, Pavia enters a 24-hour waiver window where any of the 31 other NFL franchises can claim the remainder of his three-year contract (USA Today). Should he clear waivers unclaimed, he will become a free agent (USA Today).
Alternative professional leagues have already surfaced as possibilities. The Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold negotiating rights to sign him (abqjournal.com), though the active CFL season could push any potential move to the offseason (Yahoo Sports). Observers have also pointed to the United Football League (Yahoo Sports) or a possible return to Vanderbilt in a coaching capacity under Clark Lea as viable pathways should his playing career shift trajectory (Yahoo Sports).
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