BALTIMORE, July 23 (News Engine Primary) — The Baltimore Ravens waived quarterback Diego Pavia on Thursday, using one of their offseason roster spots to make room for veteran center Ethan Pocic. The move came before training camp and effectively ended Pavia’s bid to win the No. 3 quarterback job in Baltimore.
Why the Ravens made the move
In its roster announcement, Baltimore said Pavia was waived so the team could add Pocic to the 90-man roster. The Ravens had signed Pavia as an undrafted rookie after the 2026 NFL Draft, and he spent spring practices in the quarterback competition.
That competition had already been narrowed. The Ravens said Lamar Jackson remained the starter and Tyler Huntley the backup, leaving Skylar Thompson and Joe Fagnano in the mix for the final quarterback spot.
For an NFL team in the offseason, those roster spots matter. Clubs can carry many more players before the regular season than they can once the cutdown to 53 begins, so the bottom of the depth chart is often where teams make quick decisions.
What Pavia’s cut means
Pavia arrived in Baltimore with a résumé that made him a name to watch. ESPN reported that the former Vanderbilt quarterback was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the first Heisman finalist to go undrafted in 12 years.
Still, college production does not guarantee a roster spot in the NFL. The Ravens chose to use the opening on Pocic, a move that suggests Baltimore valued help at center more than an extra quarterback as camp approached.
The release also shows how thin the Ravens’ quarterback room already was. With Jackson locked in as the starter and Huntley in place as the backup, the team could afford to be selective with the last spot, and Pavia appears to have been the odd man out.
What happens next
The Ravens did not say whether Pavia had already lined up another NFL opportunity. For now, the waiver means his short Baltimore stint ended before he had a chance to report to training camp.
That leaves the Ravens to move ahead with a quarterback battle centered on Thompson and Fagnano, while Pavia looks for his next chance elsewhere.
