Jets fans should prepare themselves for a controversial Diego Pavia decision

Much like Johnny Manziel before him, former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia became a lightning rod for his self-confidence that, for some, bordered on distasteful arrogance. 

Not even the quarterback-hungry New York Jets deemed him worth the risk this past April, and the Baltimore Ravens have apparently seen enough. With less than a week until training camp, the Ravens waived Pavia, last year’s Heisman Trophy runner-up who nonetheless went undrafted. 

It’d be hard to fault any Jets fan who sees Pavia’s résumé and naturally believes he, not Cade Klubnik or Arch Manning, will be the man who finally brings a winning record back to MetLife Stadium. 

There’s only one problem: If the Jets are smart, they’ll stay far away from Pavia, primarily because he doesn’t fit the team’s needs. 

Why the New York Jets should not sign Diego Pavia

To be clear, Pavia didn’t go undrafted solely because of his attitude. He’s an undersized quarterback who turned 24 this past February. Even the teams wanting a developmental option didn’t bother using a seventh-round pick. 

For the sake of conversation, let’s assume that Klubnik beats out Bailey Zappe for the backup job behind Geno Smith. Depending on how the quarterback market plays out, the Jets might want to keep Zappe as the No. 3 or try stashing him on the practice squad. 

And if the Jets would prefer to look elsewhere for a practice-squad option, then they’re better off finding a veteran who unexpectedly becomes available. And “veteran” doesn’t necessarily mean someone in their 30s. 

The Jets already have their developmental quarterback in Klubnik. Wasting a valuable practice squad spot on Pavia makes no sense, and Darren Mougey has generated enough goodwill and praise this offseason to make me think he won’t try it. 

I’m no scout, so I’m not going to predict what Pavia’s football future looks like. He remained unsigned as of Saturday afternoon, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands somewhere else for the preseason. 

Remember, we’re still in the offseason. The Ravens didn’t need to cut Pavia in hopes of passing him through waivers. 

Teams love their extra quarterbacks. But if the Ravens — who have spent nearly a decade watching Lamar Jackson terrorize opposing offenses as a dual-threat quarterback — already waived Pavia, then what does that say?

Imagine telling someone earlier this month that the Jets should pass on a Ravens quarterback capable of making plays with his legs.

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