Diego Pavia is already losing the numbers game on the Ravens depth chart

Diego Pavia’s path to the NFL continues to get longer. The Baltimore Ravens brought him in for a workout and are carrying him on the roster for now. Pavia got his education at Vanderbilt so he knows numbers. If Lamar Jackson, trade rumors aside, is QB1 and Tyler Huntley has been the longtime backup in Baltimore, that leaves the door open for possibly one more roster spot dedicated to the quarterback room. The Ravens currently have five quarterbacks after signing Skylar Thompson. 

The odds aren’t in Pavia’s favor. That doesn’t mean Pavia can’t make the roster – or the practice squad at the very least – but it doesn't look great. Pavia is very familiar with the path less traveled. He’ll have an uphill battle to make his NFL dreams come and the odds aren’t in his favor. But he wasn’t supposed to be an SEC quarterback and he ended up being a win away from possibly landing in the College Football Playoff. 

That’s exactly why regardless of how things look now, Pavia will probably be fine. The Ravens are his best shot to make the NFL, but it’s not the only one. 

Why Diego Pavia’s path to the NFL doesn’t rely on the Baltimore Ravens

There are a lot of variables when it comes to Diego Pavia and if he can make an NFL roster. The biggest one right now is that he’s in a crowded quarterback room. The good thing is if he makes the preseason roster, he’ll have a lot of chances to prove he deserves a chance. With Jackson’s future in flux, the Ravens might be inclined to flush out all of their quarterback options as a backup plan. 

That said, if Pavia can prove he’s good enough in the preseason, even if he gets cut, he could end up being a player a team could trade for in terms of depth. A team like the Green Bay Packers could see value in turning to Pavia as Jordan Love’s backup. Without Malik Willis in the picture, Pavia isn’t just auditioning for the Ravens, but a shot at the NFL, regardless of who it’s with. 

Diego Pavia’s secret weapon that could help him make the Ravens’ roster

Pavia has been getting dinged for his height, size and his age, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a place in the NFL. Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick brings up a great point about Pavia that could help him land on the Ravens or even elsewhere. It’s no surprise how talented Jackson is as a runner. But he was hampered with injuries last year. If the Ravens want to protect him, Pavia is the perfect utility player for that offense. 

Think like how the New Orleans Saints used Taysom Hill. They had a package of plays for him that would allow him to throw the ball, but primarily run. Why is that important? The more running plays Pavia does, that’s less wear and tear on 29-year-old Lamar Jackson. This would allow Pavia to ease into the NFL while also best utilizing his skills. 

Why Baltimore might be the best landing spot for Diego Pavia

In no way am I comparing Pavia to Jackson, I’d never be that foolish. That said, Jackson was drafted with the last pick of his NFL Draft. He was a Heisman winner and almost didn’t survive Day 1 of the NFL Draft. Pavia was the first Heisman finalist since 2014 to go undrafted. His path to the NFL isn’t quite like Jackson’s but that underdog narrative is nearly identical. Thirty one teams didn’t believe in Jackson. All 32 don’t believe in Pavia. 

The Ravens are his best shot to make it in the NFL (for now). What better player to potentially learn from than one that had a similar path. Pavia has to prove himself more than Jackson did, but this could end up being the best path for him to put the rest of the league on laert.

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