The Baltimore Ravens waived Heisman Trophy runner-up QB Diego Pavia before the rookies start their training camp on Friday, 24th July, 2026. Pavia was initially invited to Baltimore’s rookie minicamp as a tryout player after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft. The team signed both him and fellow UDFA quarterback Joe Fagnano to three-year contracts before being cut from the 90-man roster just before rookie training camp.
The rookies will be joined by the veterans at the Under Armour Performance Center from July 28th for the full training camp practices. Pavia, though, will miss all the preparations, as he has been cut to make space for veteran center Ethan Pocic, who joins on a one-year deal.
Pavia’s Collegiate Career
The 24-year-old quarterback is coming off a strong 2025 season with Vanderbilt, where he led the Commodores to a 10-3 record (a historic first double-digit win campaign for the program), while leading the SEC in completion percentage with 70.6%, 29 passing touchdowns, and a passer rating of 170.4.
With added figures of 862 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, he came runner-up in the Heisman Trophy race behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Ravens' release makes him the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted after Jordan Lynch in 2014.
Why was Pavia Released?
Pavia has been one of the five quarterbacks on the Ravens’ roster, and with the presence of Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, the team’s starter and backup roles are all but locked up. That leaves the No. 3 spot, with Joe Fagnano and Skyler Thompson for competition. The Baltimore team has decided to narrow the competition to the mentioned players and leave out Pavia, who would be the 91st man on the 90-man roster, as the Ravens have also signed veteran center Ethan Pocic.
Pavia has also made the news for his volatile behavior, with the news of his runner-up finish to Fernando Mendoza prompting him to caption an Instagram story, “F- all the voters but ... family for life.” This was followed by his attendance at a nightclub party where he gestured toward a sign that read "F— Indiana."
He apologized later for his outburst and took to social media to thank his voters and send his best to his competitor Mendoza. His attitude and even shorter frame may have pushed him to be released, as the Ravens need valuable roster space and a fifth quarterback space is a luxury they cannot afford.
What’s Next for Pavia?
Pavia, who is known to be quite vocal, will be looking at other teams in the NFL or even the UFL and beyond. He came into the Ravens setup with the team having some familiarity with him through new coach Jesse Minter's friendship with Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea, who coached Pavia the last two seasons.
But it looks like the Ravens’ think tank wasn’t convinced by what they saw out of the ex-Vanderbilt star quarterback in the offseason. Neither his dynamic collegiate play nor the Heisman Trophy runner-up finish seem to have convinced the team.
The player will now scramble to look for another opportunity to fall his way, as teams have already started training camps as early as July 22 and the deadline is over in the next 10 days or less. While finding another NFL team looks less likely with most rosters largely set, in case of injuries, roster shuffling, and other fortunate circumstances coming his way, he can be accommodated into any quarterback-needy team.
Pavia’s athleticism is also an advantage, with chances of teams procuring his services to utilize him in a hybrid role on offense. With him now subject to waivers and, in case of his passing through them, he can be a free agent. He has exclusive negotiating rights with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL, too.
