Diego Pavia hasn’t even suited up in an NFL game yet, but the former Vanderbilt star’s league prospects are already in jeopardy.
The Ravens waived the polarizing ex-Heisman finalist Thursday right before training camp even begins, leaving the undrafted free agent without a home as teams begin to ready for the 2026 season.
This is the second major blow for Pavia after no team deemed him worthy of a selection during the 2026 NFL Draft, and the back-to-back setbacks leave the 24-year-old in a potentially precarious spot.
There’s a chance another team could claim him, which would grant him a roster spot, but there’s also the possibility he goes unclaimed.
If he becomes a free agent, Pavia could simply wait for an opening due to an injury or trade, as teams always need bodies, especially during training camp.
One downside to that plan is that it may not guarantee him more than a few practices, particularly if he’s added later in the year.
It could, though, open the door for a chance at making his way onto a practice squad.
Should Pavia want more than potential practice snaps, he may have to look to one of the lesser leagues.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League have owned negotiating rights with Pavia since 2024, and indicated earlier this year they still had interest should his NFL dreams be dashed.
Winnipeg general manager Kyle Walters said earlier this year they had been in contact with his representatives, although Pavia had been focusing on the NFL.
“He’s exciting. That guy wins,” Walters said in April, according to 3downnation.com. “We would love to have him up here, and I think he would be a very interesting prospect if he ever makes his way up here.”
The United Football League could be another option, especially since the league quote-tweeted an NFL tweet announcing his waiver with a seeing-eye emoji.
It may be tough for a player with Pavia’s strong college background to have to give up his NFL dreams, but NFL teams have yet to show that they believe he can be a successful quarterback in the league.
Pavia led Vanderbilt to a historic 2025 season while throwing for 29 touchdowns and 3,539 yards, but there are concerns about his size — he’s roughly 5-foot-10 — and his maturity.
He famously lashed out at Heisman voters after losing the award to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, although he later apologized.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
