Ravens Go All-In on Quarterback Depth: What Pavia, Fagnano, and a Crowded Room Mean for Lamar Jackson's Future
The 2026 NFL Draft came and went without the Baltimore Ravens selecting a quarterback. Then, within hours of the final pick being made, the franchise signed two of the most compelling undrafted quarterback prospects in recent memory — on the same day. The moves tell you everything about how the Ravens view their quarterback room: Lamar Jackson is untouchable, Tyler Huntley is the safety net, and the team is now investing serious organizational resources into what comes behind them.
The signings of Diego Pavia from Vanderbilt and Joe Fagnano from UConn — both on three-year contracts — aren't just roster filler. They're a statement about how a franchise prepares to protect its most valuable asset, and how first-year head coach Jesse Minter plans to build the infrastructure around a two-time MVP.
The Signings: Who Are Pavia and Fagnano?
Let's start with Diego Pavia, because his profile is genuinely remarkable. The Vanderbilt quarterback was the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up — not a consolation prize, but recognition that he was arguably the second-best college football player in the country. He led the Commodores to a 10-3 record, which for context is a stunning achievement for a program that has historically struggled to compete at the SEC level.
Pavia's statistical profile is what makes him so intriguing as a pro prospect. He finished first in the SEC in completion percentage (70.6%), touchdown passes (29), yards per attempt (9.4), and quarterback rating (170.4), while accumulating 3,539 passing yards and 862 rushing yards. That dual-threat profile — elite efficiency combined with real mobility — is precisely the kind of quarterback mold that offensive coordinators covet in modern football, and it's no coincidence the Ravens were among the teams that pounced. Bleacher Report has the updated depth chart following Pavia's signing.
Joe Fagnano is a different kind of story. The UConn quarterback is a seven-year college veteran — the kind of player who has seen everything, failed, adjusted, and ultimately mastered the position through sheer accumulated experience. His final college numbers are a testament to that development arc: 10,718 career passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and just 18 interceptions. In his last two seasons alone, he threw 48 touchdowns against only 5 interceptions — a ratio that any NFL team would celebrate from their starter, let alone an undrafted developmental prospect. ClutchPoints first reported the Fagnano signing, confirmed by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Ian Rapoport.
The Current Depth Chart: Four Quarterbacks, One Clear Hierarchy
With both signings confirmed, the Ravens now carry four quarterbacks on their offseason roster:
- Lamar Jackson — Two-time NFL MVP, franchise cornerstone, arguably the most dynamic player in football
- Tyler Huntley — Primary backup on a two-year, $5 million deal signed this offseason
- Diego Pavia — Three-year contract, Heisman runner-up, competing for QB3
- Joe Fagnano — Three-year contract, seven-year college veteran, competing for QB3
The hierarchy is unambiguous at the top. Jackson and Huntley are established, and Huntley has already proven he can handle emergency duty — he earned a spot start for the Ravens in 2025, leading Baltimore to a win over the Chicago Bears. That track record matters when evaluating backup quarterback rooms. Many teams carry backups who have never taken a meaningful regular-season snap. Huntley has demonstrated he belongs. ClutchPoints detailed how the backup spot is now crowded with the latest additions.
The competition between Pavia and Fagnano for the QB3 role will play out through OTAs, minicamp, and training camp. Neither has an obvious edge on paper — Pavia brings the higher national profile and more recent top-level production, while Fagnano brings veteran polish and exceptional decision-making in his final seasons. It's a genuinely compelling camp battle.
Why the Ravens Skipped Quarterback in the Draft
The decision not to draft a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft wasn't an oversight — it was strategy. Three-year undrafted free agent deals give the Ravens roster flexibility that draft picks don't. A drafted quarterback, even in the fourth or fifth round, carries guaranteed money and draft capital costs. An undrafted free agent on a three-year deal is a low-risk, high-upside bet: if either Pavia or Fagnano develops into a legitimate NFL quarterback, the Ravens have him under contract for three years at a fraction of what a drafted player would cost. If neither pans out, they've lost almost nothing in terms of resources.
This approach also reflects a clear organizational philosophy: the Ravens aren't thinking about life after Lamar Jackson anytime soon. Jackson is in his prime, operating at MVP caliber, and the franchise's entire offensive identity runs through him. The backup quarterback room exists to protect that investment, not to audition his replacement.
Signing two high-profile undrafted quarterbacks on the same day isn't a coincidence — it's a roster construction philosophy. The Ravens are building depth efficiently, and the three-year commitments suggest they see genuine developmental potential in both players.
Jesse Minter's New Era and What It Means for Quarterback Development
The Ravens enter the 2026 season under first-year head coach Jesse Minter, and the quarterback depth moves carry additional significance in that context. A new coaching staff means new offensive systems, new quarterback coaching philosophies, and new opportunities for developmental players to carve out roles.
Minter inherits one of the most unique offensive situations in the NFL — an offense built around Lamar Jackson's singular skill set. Any backup quarterback the Ravens develop needs to be capable of executing a complex rushing-heavy, play-action-driven system, not just managing a conventional pro-style offense. Both Pavia and Fagnano fit that profile. Pavia's 862 rushing yards in 2025 make him a natural fit for a mobile quarterback system. Fagnano's veteran experience suggests he can absorb complex playbooks quickly.
New coaching regimes also tend to value players they can develop from the ground up — players without ingrained habits or competing loyalties to a previous staff's system. From that lens, Pavia and Fagnano arriving as blank slates under Minter's staff could actually accelerate their development compared to veterans arriving with established tendencies.
The Broader Context: How Other NFL Teams Handle Backup QB Situations
The Ravens' approach puts them ahead of most NFL franchises in terms of backup quarterback planning. The league is littered with cautionary tales of teams whose seasons unraveled the moment their starter went down — not because their backup was bad, but because the organizational infrastructure around the backup was inadequate.
The personnel decisions happening across the league this offseason reflect how aggressively teams are restructuring their front offices and depth charts. The Ravens are no exception, and signing two quarterbacks to three-year deals in a single day is an unusually bold statement of intent.
Compare the Ravens' four-quarterback offseason roster to the league average. Most NFL teams enter the offseason with three quarterbacks, occasionally four, but rarely do they sign two developmental quarterbacks with legitimate upside profiles on the same day. The simultaneity of the Pavia and Fagnano signings suggests the Ravens had both in their sights for some time and moved decisively once the draft concluded.
What This Really Means: Analysis and Implications
The obvious read on these signings is depth management — protecting Lamar Jackson by ensuring quality backups exist behind him. But there's a more interesting layer worth examining.
Both Pavia and Fagnano received three-year deals. That's an unusual commitment for developmental quarterbacks who will likely spend most of their time on the practice squad or as the third option on the depth chart. Three-year deals suggest the Ravens see these players not just as insurance policies, but as genuine long-term developmental investments.
Consider the math: three years from now, Lamar Jackson will still be in his prime. Tyler Huntley's two-year deal means he becomes a free agent after 2027. If one of Pavia or Fagnano develops into a legitimate NFL backup during that window — or even a starting-caliber quarterback — the Ravens have him under contract at favorable terms precisely when Huntley's deal expires. The organizational calculus is clear even if the public framing is simply "building depth."
There's also the question of what the Heisman runner-up signing means for Diego Pavia's career trajectory. Most Heisman runner-ups get drafted. Pavia going undrafted reflects either a perceived gap in his NFL-readiness or a market misalignment between his college production and pro projection. The Ravens clearly see something the rest of the league missed — or were willing to pay for something others weren't. Heavy.com reported on the Ravens' broader free agency strategy and the commitments surrounding Jackson this offseason.
Pavia's dual-threat profile and exceptional efficiency numbers aren't easily dismissed. His 70.6% completion percentage and 9.4 yards per attempt would be elite numbers at the NFL level. The knock on him almost certainly comes down to measurables and the perceived jump from SEC competition to NFL defenses. But the Ravens — who built their entire offense around an unconventional quarterback — have demonstrated they evaluate the position differently than most franchises.
Questions about how any quarterback performs in high-stakes situations are always worth examining. As Yahoo Sports noted in a broader discussion about quarterbacks and postseason performance, the ability to win when it counts is ultimately what separates good quarterbacks from great ones — a standard Lamar Jackson himself has worked to meet throughout his career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lamar Jackson's backup entering the 2026 season?
Tyler Huntley is Lamar Jackson's primary backup after signing a two-year, $5 million deal with the Ravens this offseason. Huntley has prior experience with Baltimore and earned a spot start in 2025, leading the team to a win over the Chicago Bears. Behind Huntley, the Ravens now have Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano competing for the QB3 role after both signed three-year undrafted free agent deals on April 28, 2026.
Why did the Ravens sign two quarterbacks on the same day after the draft?
The Ravens did not select a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, then immediately moved to sign Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Joe Fagnano (UConn) as undrafted free agents. This simultaneous approach reflects deliberate roster planning — both players were clearly targeted in advance, and signing them to three-year deals gives the Ravens developmental depth at the position without spending draft capital. Three-year deals also suggest genuine long-term investment, not just practice squad placeholder signings.
Who is Diego Pavia and why is he significant?
Diego Pavia was the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up after leading Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record. He finished first in the SEC in completion percentage (70.6%), touchdown passes (29), yards per attempt (9.4), and QB rating (170.4), adding 862 rushing yards. His dual-threat profile and elite efficiency made him one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football in 2025. Going undrafted despite that profile was a surprise, and the Ravens moved quickly to sign him to a three-year deal.
How many Super Bowls has Lamar Jackson won?
Lamar Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP but has not won a Super Bowl as of the 2026 offseason. The question of postseason success has followed Jackson throughout his career, and the Ravens' continued investment in building a complete roster around him reflects organizational commitment to helping him reach that milestone.
What is Joe Fagnano's background?
Joe Fagnano is a seven-year college veteran who played at UConn. He finished his college career with 10,718 passing yards, 93 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions — an exceptional ratio that reflects sustained growth and decision-making development over an unusually long college career. His final two seasons were particularly efficient: 48 touchdowns against just 5 interceptions. The Ravens signed him to a three-year undrafted free agent deal on the same day they signed Pavia, making it one of the most aggressive post-draft quarterback acquisitions in recent memory.
Conclusion: Building the Room Right
The Baltimore Ravens' post-draft moves tell a coherent story about organizational priorities. Lamar Jackson is the franchise, Tyler Huntley is the proven safety net, and Diego Pavia and Joe Fagnano represent the kind of high-upside developmental investments that smart franchises make when they're serious about sustainable success.
The three-year deals are the detail that matters most. These aren't tryout contracts or placeholder signings — they're genuine organizational commitments to two quarterbacks with legitimate NFL developmental profiles. Whether either Pavia or Fagnano eventually becomes a starter somewhere in the league remains to be seen, but the Ravens have positioned themselves well: they've added real talent to their quarterback room at minimal cost, given Jesse Minter developmental players to work with in his first year, and ensured that the insurance behind Lamar Jackson is more than just a name on a roster.
For a franchise entering a new coaching era with the best quarterback in football at its center, that kind of careful, patient depth-building might be exactly what the next championship window requires.
