The Carolina Panthers signed Kenny Pickett to a one-year deal, but they're not completely sold on the backup QB situation. They are still aggressively looking at options behind Bryce Young.
That now includes Diego Pavia. The 2025 Heisman finalist is, according to reports, meeting with the Panthers at the facility today. That means it's a top-30 visit, something the Panthers have a limited number of.
#Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, the 2025 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, is visiting the #Panthers today, source says.
The 24-year-old helped Vandy to its first win over a top-5 team in program history. pic.twitter.com/9fHT9XmhBZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 7, 2026
The fact that they're spending one of those visits to bring Pavia to the facility means there's a pretty solid chance he gets drafted by the Panthers. They wouldn't meet with players in person that they're not terribly interested in picking.
This doesn't mean much for Pickett right now, but it could in the future. He's the backup as of now, with Andy Dalton traded. However, if Pavia is picked, there could be a camp battle. Either way, Pickett is a short-term backup. Pavia could be the long-term backup.