QB Diego Pavia Visits Panthers
This year’s crop of quarterback prospects has failed to impress evaluators with only Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza seen as a clear first-round talent. He is expected to be taken by the Raiders with the first overall pick, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson could sneak into Round 1, too.
Beyond that, no NFL-bound quarterbacks profile as likely future starters. Many, though, could be inexpensive but effective backups on their rookie deals. Those players may be targets for teams that may soon be handing out pricey long-term contracts to their current quarterbacks.
One such team is the Panthers, who seem ready to commit to Bryce Young after clear steps forward in 2025, his third season in the league. Carolina has already signaled their intention to pick up his fifth-year option and may already be budgeting for a multi-year extension, though they may want to see more development in 2026 before finalizing a deal. After three years with 15-year veteran Andy Dalton as their backup, the team may now look to develop a rookie behind Young, especially if he gets a market-level extension in the next 18 months. Carolina did sign Kenny Pickett as a backup for this year, but the 28-year-old have not be a long-term option.
Vanderbilt Diego Pavia could be a Day 3 dart throw on a developmental quarterback. He visited the Panthers on Tuesday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The SEC Offensive Player of the Year led the conference with a 70.6% completion rate, 29 passing touchdowns, and 9.4 yards per attempt in 2025. He finished second to Mendoza in Heisman voting, but his age and size are major concerns about his potential in the NFL. Listed as 6 feet tall in college, Pavia measured in at 5-foot-9 at the Combine, and at 24 years old, that is unlikely to change.
However, Young is 5-10, so the Panthers are clearly comfortable with a smaller quarterback. Elements of their protection scheme are likely designed to create better sightlines for Young, which would also benefit Pavia. He may not be a pro-ready backup right away, but he could develop as the third-string QB behind Pickett for a year and potentially step into a bigger role in the future.
Sometimes, though, teams use these pre-draft visits to gather intel on prospects’ teammates. More than 20% of Pavia’s completions and passing yards went to tight end Eli Stowers, currently seen as the second-best prospect at his position behind Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. No Panthers tight end eclipsed 30 catches or 250 receiving yards last year, so they could certainly look for an upgrade in this year’s draft. Pavia could give them valuable information about Stowers as they decide if he is worth adding to their offense.
Updated Slate Of NFL Players On CFL Negotiation List Revealed
The Canadian Football League has long used a negotiation list for its teams to acquire the rights to active NFL players. That remains the case in 2025, and after a few updates were revealed earlier the full list is now available.
A recent piece from TSN’s Marshall Ferguson breaks down nine of the most notable names who have been added to the list recently. These players are not assured of heading north of the border at any point in their careers, of course. The list merely dictates which CFL teams own their negotiating rights in the event they do attempt to play in the league. 
Shedeur Sanders is among the members of the 2025 (NFL) draft class who have been added recently. His CFL rights belong to the Toronto Argonauts. Any time spent north of the border would certainly come as a surprise, as the fifth-round rookie is positioned to occupy at least a depth role with the Browns for the coming years. A path to the starting gig could also emerge depending on how the team’s four-man competition plays out this summer. Fellow quarterback Max Duggan – who has spent time in the Chargers’ organization and with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks – is also on the Argonauts’ list.
Other signal-callers who find themselves on the negotiation list include former Saints draftee Ian Book (who has made just one regular season appearance in his career) and New Mexico State/Vanderbilt product Diego Pavia. The rights to both of them belong to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, meanwhile, have added former Colts UDFA Kedon Slovis to their negotiation list.
In addition to Trey Lance, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have the rights to Canadian Chase Claypool. The former second-rounder flashed considerable potential with the Steelers, but an ill-fated trade acquisition on the part of the Bears did not pan out as hoped. Claypool, 26, was unable to carve out a regular role with the Dolphins in 2023 and missed last season due to injury.
Another Canadian on the list is Eagles safety Sydney Brown. The London, Ontario native’s rights belong to Toronto, although his attention will of course remain focused on helping Philadelphia repeat as Super Bowl champions in 2025. Fellow defensive back Steven Gilmore – the younger brother of Stephon Gilmore – has been added to the BC Lions’ negotiation list.
Negotiating rights can (and do) get traded in the CFL based on positional need when teams attempt to acquire players such as the ones listed above. The end of NFL training camps brings about roster cuts and, oftentimes, an influx of players north of the border during the middle of the CFL campaign. The current team-player pairings on the negotiation list will be key in determining where players who wind up becoming available land in the event they attempt to continue their careers in Canada.