Baltimore Beatdown
Pablo Torre acquired and released the NFLPA v. NFL arbitration document from the alleged collusion, including the dispute with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s contract.
On Tuesday, June 24, 2025, Pablo Torre of “Pablo Torre Finds Out” released the 61-page arbitration document on the alleged collusion filed by the NFL Players Association against the NFL. The alleged collusion was regarding three quarterback contracts during the 2022 season: Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson.
The arbitration includes testimony from NFL Owners, NFL Management Council, Lamar Jackson, General Manager and Executive Vice President Eric DeCosta and Owner Steve Bisciotti, among numerous other owners, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, members of the NFL Players Association and others.
Link to the article, video and the 61-page arbitration document from “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”
I have gone through the document and re-written the information regarding the negotiation of Lamar Jackson’s contract, including Steve Bisciotti and Eric DeCosta’s testimony void of the legal citations for a more straightforward read.
I urge all readers to read the arbitration document in full, and listen to the episode from Pablo Torre and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio to gain a better understanding.
Pg. 29
Mr. Jackson is an All-Pro and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens; his team reached the playoffs five times. Unlike most NFL players, Mr. Jackson is not represented by an agent. He is assisted by his mother, Felicia Jones, and negotiated directly with General Manager Eric DeCosta of the Ravens. Mr. DeCosta testified that he is not opposed to fully guaranteed contracts, just fully guaranteed contracts “pushed out to later years.” Additionally, he testified that Mr. Jackson has a different playing style—a running quarterback—and has incurred some injuries, and injuries are one reason why DeCosta tries to minimize guarantees in the fifth and sixth years of contracts.
In the 2022 offseason, Mr. Jackson was negotiating a new contract with the Ravens, with whom he had played with since he was drafted. Mr. Jackson asked for a fully guaranteed contract at the time, and Mr. DeCosta “knew that a fully guaranteed contract was important to Lamar.”
21. After a conversation with Mr. Jackson in 2022, Mr. DeCosta came to believe that Mr. Jackson would accept a non-fully guaranteed deal and offered Mr. Jackson such a contract. Mr. Jackson did not accept the offer. Following additional unsuccessful negotiations, Mr. Jackson texted Mr. DeCosta to inform him that rather than sign a non-fully guaranteed contract, he would play under his rookie contract’s fifth year option. Mr. Jackson also wrote, “I’m going to continue to request a FULLY GUARANTEED contract I understand you all DON’T and that’s fine.”
After the 2022-23 season, Mr. Jackson and Mr. DeCosta began negotiating again, and Mr. Jackson renewed his request for a fully guaranteed contract. Mr. DeCosta offered Mr. Jackson two different three-year contracts that Mr. DeCosta considered to be fully guaranteed. Mr. Jackson did not accept either of those contracts and requested a trade. During this time, Mr....
