The Detroit Lions are being linked to Diego Pavia, why this is not the move to make
The Detroit Lions have been linked to Diego Pavia ahead of training camp. It’s an intriguing idea on the surface, but it’s one that requires more conversation.
The Detroit Lions open training camp next week, and quarterback depth has become a talking point after USA Today’s Nick Brinkerhoff suggested the Lions should look at former Vanderbilt quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Diego Pavia. Brinkerhoff’s argument centered on Teddy Bridgewater and Luke Altmyer being the only insurance behind Jared Goff, calling Detroit “a perfect spot for Pavia.” I get it. The idea sounds fun on paper. But there is no fit between Pavia and this Lions team. None.
The personality question
For starters, Pavia’s public persona does not align with what the Lions have built under Dan Campbell. There is a place for confidence and even cockiness in football. That’s fine. But what Pavia put on display during the Heisman finalist process and leading up to the draft crossed a line for a lot of evaluators. It screamed less “I believe in myself” and more “I am delusional about myself.” I think that had a lot to do with why he went undrafted. Teams viewed him as a personality concern, and you can understand why they didn’t want that kind of player in their building.
The physical limitations
Then there’s the size issue. Pavia is listed at 5-foot-10, but there’s a good chance that number is generous. Kyler Murray is a shorter quarterback who has managed to carve out a decent NFL career, so height alone isn’t a disqualifier. But Pavia is very small. He feels more like a UFL-style quarterback than an NFL one. The Baltimore Ravens just waived him before training camp, and that tells you something. They didn’t see it either.
Maybe one day I’ll eat these words, and maybe one day I’ll be totally wrong about this. But Pavia is not an NFL quarterback. He’s a great college quarterback, and there’s nothing wrong with that. He’ll find a way to play spring football, he’ll get more chances on practice squads, and he’ll have his time around the league. But that doesn’t make him a fit in Detroit.
The scheme mismatch
This is the biggest problem. Everything about the Lions’ offense is built around Goff operating from the pocket, getting the ball out on time, and keeping the offense on schedule. Even if Goff were to miss time, Detroit has Bridgewater and Altmyer to provide essentially the same thing. Timing, timing, timing. That’s what Drew Petzing wants.
Pavia is at his best when he’s creating outside of structure, using his legs, and turning broken plays into big ones. That’s exciting football. It’s fun to watch in the college game. But it doesn’t line up with what Petzing is building. Pavia isn’t bringing the kind of skill set this offense is designed around, and no amount of athletic traits changes that reality.
I doubt the Lions have Pavia on their radar, and I definitely do not believe they should. This suggestion looks appealing from the outside, but once you look at the personality, the physical profile, and the scheme fit, it falls apart fast.
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