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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602272701
Imago
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia answers questions from the media during the NFL, American Football Herren, USA Scouting Combine on February 27, 2026 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire NFL: FEB 27 Scouting Combine EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602272701
Diego Pavia has gone through a whirlwind of emotions in the last few days. The 24-year-old Heisman Trophy runner-up went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, becoming the first finalist to go undrafted since Jordan Lynch in 2014. And just then, once he accepted an invitation from the Baltimore Ravens for their rookie minicamp, it ended up being just the thing to make up for everything for him.
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Still, Pavia’s path to an NFL contract did not follow the usual trajectory for a Heisman finalist. Concerns about his 5-foot-10 frame surfaced repeatedly during the pre-draft process, and his decision not to participate in several evaluation events also worked against him. Character-related chatter following his emotional reaction to the Heisman voting added another layer of uncertainty. Taken together, those factors contributed to all 32 teams passing on him across seven rounds before Baltimore stepped in.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens finalized a three-year undrafted free-agent deal with Pavia ahead of rookie minicamp, ensuring he would enter offseason work as a rostered quarterback rather than a tryout participant. While the financial details of the agreement have not yet been disclosed, the move immediately secures his place inside Baltimore’s offseason quarterback group.
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The signing places Pavia into a depth chart led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and longtime backup Tyler Huntley, with former UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano also joining the competition after signing his own three-year deal earlier the same day. With Jackson firmly established as the starter and Huntley returning for another season in a familiar reserve role, the immediate intrigue now centers on how the two undrafted additions separate themselves during minicamp and offseason workouts.
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Jackson’s position atop the room remains unquestioned. Since taking over as Baltimore’s starter midway through the 2018 season, he has developed into one of the league’s most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks. Across eight seasons with the franchise, Jackson has thrown for 22,608 yards and 187 touchdowns against 56 interceptions, while adding another 6,522 rushing yards and 35 scores on the ground. His production and durability through multiple offensive systems have made him the clear foundation of the Ravens’ offense heading into 2026.
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Behind him, Huntley continues to provide experienced depth. Nicknamed “Snoop,” he has spent most of his six-year career in Baltimore and stepped into extended action during the injury-affected 2021 campaign, when he threw for 1,081 yards and added nearly 300 rushing yards across seven appearances. His steady presence in the system earned him a Pro Bowl selection as an injury replacement in 2023 and helped solidify his standing as a reliable backup option in the organization.
That context makes Pavia’s role clearer entering the offseason. Rather than arriving as a challenger for immediate playing time, he joins the Ravens as a developmental addition whose production at Vanderbilt nevertheless forced teams to take notice. During the 2025 season, he completed 70.6 percent of his passes for 3,539 yards with 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding 862 rushing yards and 10 more scores on the ground. The performance helped drive Vanderbilt to a 10-win season and pushed him into the national spotlight as one of college football’s most productive dual-threat quarterbacks.
His rise to that stage was anything but conventional. Pavia began his college career at New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to New Mexico State, where he totaled 5,856 yards and 52 touchdowns across two seasons and earned Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. He later followed head coach Jerry Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck to Vanderbilt, where his impact continued immediately. By the end of his final season, he had added SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award to his résumé.
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea was unequivocal in his assessment late in the season, saying, “It is my belief that he is the best football player in the country,” as Pavia’s campaign gathered momentum during the Commodores’ breakthrough year.
Even after finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Pavia remained confident that his performance had made a strong case. “I just hope everyone looks at the stats,” he said following Vanderbilt’s win over Tennessee. “I think the numbers speak for themselves and obviously the best player in the country goes off the numbers and tape.”
Now, instead of hearing his name called during draft weekend, Pavia begins his professional career competing for a place in a Ravens quarterback room that suddenly carries four options heading into offseason work. Baltimore’s decision to sign both him and Fagnano ahead of minicamp ensures the competition for the third-string role will be one of the more closely watched position battles as the team moves through its early offseason program.
Fagnano enters after a 2025 season in which he threw for 3,448 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just 1 interception. And with Pavia now on board as well, both quarterbacks add depth to a room that already features Lamar Jackson, who is reportedly seeking a contract extension, and Huntley, who is expected to continue as the primary backup.
The Ravens have yet to lock in Lamar Jackson on a contract extension
“When Lamar gets paid, he’s going to be the highest-paid player in football, just like he was last time,” John Harbaugh said a year ago while he was still the head coach of the Ravens. For now, though, Lamar has yet to sign a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid quarterback. And he is currently playing on the five-year, $260 million deal he signed three years ago.
At the time, he reset the market with a $52 million average annual value and a $72.5 million signing bonus. Fast forward to now, and he sits 10th among quarterbacks in average per year and fourth in signing bonus. Which naturally raises the question of when the Ravens will extend him with two years still remaining on his deal.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti spoke with Jackson at the end of the 2025 season. He emphasized the urgency of getting an extension done before the start of free agency. But the 2026 NFL Draft has now passed, yet Lamar remains without a new deal. The Ravens have already adjusted their ballooning $74.5 million cap hit to create flexibility.
By doing so, Baltimore freed up $39.96 million in cap space and reduced Jackson’s 2026 cap hit to $34.54 million. At the same time, though, his 2027 cap hit has increased from $74.5 million to $84.49 million. It would rank as the third-highest in the league in 2027, per ESPN.
While extension talks have yet to show real progress, Jackson is still on track to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2027 season if no deal is reached. Meanwhile, the Ravens have added depth at the position. They brought in Joe Fagnano and Diego Pavia on three-year deals after passing on a quarterback in the 2026 draft.
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Godwin Issac Mathew