Ravens Cut Pavia, and the QB Depth Chart Gets Thinner Behind a Quarterback on an Expiring Deal

Baltimore waived Diego Pavia on July 23 to clear a roster spot for center Ethan Pocic, and the transaction made complete sense in the context of everything the Ravens have done this offseason. They used the No. 14 pick on guard Vega Ioane, signed Pocic, added Hakeem Adeniji — the offensive line has been the organizational obsession since the season ended, and Pocic needed a spot. Pavia was the one who gave it up.

The small thing worth noting is what's left behind him. Tyler Huntley backs up Lamar Jackson, and the drop from Jackson to Huntley is steep enough that Baltimore essentially plays without a functional backup quarterback. That was true before Pavia arrived and it's true now. Pavia was a Heisman Trophy finalist with real dual-threat ability — the kind of developmental piece that at least gives you something to evaluate over two or three years. He's gone before training camp opened.

The larger context is that Jackson's contract is expiring. Baltimore is all-in on a win-now roster built around a quarterback they haven't yet locked up long-term, a 32-year-old running back entering his 11th season, and aging starters at defensive end and defensive tackle. That's a legitimate construction if everything breaks right. But it leaves almost no developmental runway anywhere on the roster, and the Pavia waiver is the clearest illustration of that tradeoff.

My read is that the offensive line investment was the right call — the home-field collapse last season was a real structural problem, and the Ravens addressed it directly. But cutting a young quarterback to make room for a one-year center is the kind of move that only works if 2026 goes well. If it doesn't, they'll have spent a draft pick on a guard, signed two veteran linemen, and still be looking for a backup quarterback.