Winnipeg Blue Bombers neg list QB Diego Pavia plans to join UFL

Photo: Mike Stadlman/Vanderbilt

It doesn’t appear the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have collegiate star quarterback Diego Pavia on their roster anytime soon, as he plans on playing in the United Football League.

“Appreciate everyone reaching out with everything on my career,” Pavia wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “My agent, Malki Kawa, and the UFL are currently in negotiations to make this happen! Whatever team I end up at, I can promise you one thing — you will get everything I got.”

The five-foot-ten, 207-pound passer went unselected during the 2026 NFL Draft before signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. He was waived by the team in July and has remained a free agent since.

Despite speculation that Winnipeg might offer Pavia the best path forward, it doesn’t appear the two sides have ever come close to striking a deal. The team last commented on the quarterback in April, when general manager Kyle Walters indicated he’d had preliminary conversations with Pavia’s representatives and were closely monitoring his career trajectory.

The 2027 UFL Draft is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, which is when Pavia will presumably join a team. The league’s regular-season runs from March to May, with the playoffs scheduled for June.

The 24-year-old has been on the Blue Bombers’ negotiation list since June 1, 2024, giving them his exclusive CFL rights. He is the second-longest tenured player on the list behind two-time FCS National Champion quarterback Mark Gronowski.

Pavia was a collegiate star over two seasons at Vanderbilt University, earning two All-SEC selections, a first-team All-American selection, a Heisman Trophy finalist selection, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and SEC Offensive Player of the Year awards. He went 17-9 as a starter, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 5,832 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,663 yards and 18 scores.

The native of Albuquerque, N.M. previously played two seasons at New Mexico State University, where he completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 4,423 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, and rushed for 1,431 yards and 13 scores. He earned a second-team All-CUSA selection in 2023.

Pavia started his collegiate career at the New Mexico Military Institute, where he went 12-1 as a starter in 2021 and threw 21 touchdown passes against only one interception.

Editor’s note: Pavia’s statement was lightly edited for clarity.