Diego Pavia finished the Heisman Trophy race behind Fernando Mendoza in 2025, but their NFL careers have gone in completely different directions ahead of the 2026 season. While the Heisman Trophy winner Mendoza was the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Raiders, Pavia went undrafted. He was later signed by the Baltimore Ravens in April, but just three months later, he was waived by the franchise right before training camp.
After the rookie’s waiver, the Los Angeles Chargers have entered the conversation as the potential landing spot for the former Vanderbilt Commodores star. According to Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated, he could be a fit to add depth to the quarterback room led by Justin Herbert.
“Los Angeles’s (Chargers) lack of depth could force them to explore adding another camp arm at some point this summer, or perhaps a more permanent solution behind Herbert,” Kadlick noted recently.
When the Ravens picked Pavia, he signed a three-year contract for $3.1 million without any guaranteed money. He was reportedly released to make room for the veteran center Ethan Pocic in the Ravens’ 90-man squad.
Pavia is only 24 and had an impressive collegiate career, making him a great potential addition to the thin Chargers QB room.
Justin Herbert’s Backup Situation Remains a Major Question
Justin Herbert has been the QB1 for the Chargers for the past six seasons, logging big numbers year after year. There has been absolutely no question about his consistency, and he has managed to stay away from major injuries throughout his career. However, the concern in the QB room is that the depth chart behind him is filled with uncertainty.
Trey Lance is Herbert’s main backup, but the 26-year-old has been lacklustre with a 1-3 record from last season and losing the sole game he started against the Denver Broncos in Week 18. Moreover, he is a short-term option as a backup after signing a one-year contract extension recently.
GettyLos Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance
Chargers’ other quarterback option remains DJ Uiagalelei, who was an undrafted pick from last year and has yet to feature in an NFL game for the Bolts. He also has a one-year deal with the franchise, which is set to expire after the end of the 2026 season.
For that reason, if Herbert gets injured or misses a few games, the Chargers could be in real trouble, as they lack both quality and depth at the center. On the other hand, Pavia is also a rookie, but he was the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up for a reason.
Diego Pavia’s College Production Makes Him an NFL Fit
Although Pavia is also unproven, his college record tells a different story. The signal-caller led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record and threw for 3,539 passing yards, which was surprisingly more than Mendoza (3535 passing yards) in 2025. Given those numbers, he is a talented rookie, and he could grow into Herbert’s primary backup eventually if the Bolts land him for a few years.
GettyFormer Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia
Needless to say, the recently waived rookie from the Ravens could be a much more reliable option in the QB room compared to Trey Lance or DJ Uiagalelei. In addition, bringing him carries little to no risk. His Ravens contract had no guaranteed money or signing bonus. Hence, if the Chargers offer him a similar deal and if he fails to beat Lance and Uiagalelei in the QB race, they can cut him without any dead cap risk.
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