SEPTEMBER 7: In an update on this matter, Schefter reports Judkins will meet with the NFL this week as part of the league’s investigation. However, Cabot says Judkins is not expected to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, and one source tells Schefter it is likely Judkins will make his professional debut against the Ravens in Week 2.
SEPTEMBER 6: Quinshon Judkins‘ off-field situation continues to cloud his NFL career, even after a recent resolution. But the second-round Browns draftee is moving toward an early-season debut.
The Browns agreed to terms with the running back on a fully guaranteed rookie contract Saturday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Judkins is not expected to play this week but could see his debut come in Week 2, Rapoport adds. He will fly to Cleveland to sign his deal this afternoon, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who confirms the former Ohio State and Ole Miss back’s debut date is not yet known.
Chosen 36th overall, Judkins was ticketed for a fully guaranteed contract based on where the line of demarcation for such deals settled back in July. Tyler Shough receiving a fully guaranteed Saints deal — as the No. 40 overall choice — always pointed to Judkins securing such terms. But charges of battery and domestic violence led to this process dragging to the eve of Week 1.
Even with prosecutors deciding not to move forward with this case, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot notes the NFL is still conducting an investigation — one that could lead to a suspension under the personal conduct policy.
Cleveland is expected to receive a temporary roster exemption for Judkins, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. This can last up to two games. Judkins, 21, has not practiced since the Browns’ offseason program. Needing a ramp-up period before being deemed ready to play, Judkins may well be sidelined beyond Week 2. But this agreement puts an early-season debut in play while also finalizing the 2025 rookie class’ contracts. It is an $11.4MM slot deal.
Suspensions typically void guarantees, which led to the Judkins contractual slowdown. That remains a matter to monitor, but the Browns may have inserted language — as they did with Deshaun Watson — to protect the rookie RB in the event of a ban. For the time being, Jerome Ford and fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson will be expected to lead Cleveland’s backfield. But Judkins will have a say soon.
One of the impact transfers for the Buckeyes last season, Judkins heard his name called before teammate TreVeyon Henderson. The Browns chose Judkins two spots before the Patriots drafted Henderson. While the latter has received far more buzz ahead of his rookie season, Judkins drew extensive interest during the draft runup — after a college career that included three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in three years. He amassed 1,567 rushing yards and 16 TDs as a true freshman, and after leading the SEC with 15 rushing scores a year later, the former high-end recruit formed a 1,000-1,000 duo with Henderson in Columbus.
The Browns bid farewell to longtime backfield stalwart Nick Chubb this offseason, letting the former Pro Bowler walk in free agency. Chubb joined the Texans, who are expected to give the former Browns second-rounder a key role in light of Joe Mixon landing on the reserve/NFI list. Cleveland has Ford — Chubb’s primary fill-in over the past two seasons — under contract for one more year. Judkins and Sampson, however, represent longer-term solutions in being contracted through 2028.
Of all the people to get a fully guaranteed deal. Yeesh.
At least the woman will get whatever money she was promised now I hope.
Legality and morality aside, this is a real good win for the players union. Guaranteed contracts for second round picks are starting to tick up, I believe this is #7 or 8 this year
Every 2nd round pick next year, that isn’t in some sort of off the field issue, can say “this guy got fully guaranteed after an investigation”. You gave him guaranteed, i won’t sign without the full guarantee.
When will they learn?
A fully guaranteed deal for this meathead? Cleveland gonna keep on doing Cleveland things. I used to be a fan of the franchise but Haslem has ended that.
We can thank the Texans for starting these fully guaranteed contracts for 2nd rounders…Browns hopefully have language in Judkins contract to punish him financially WHEN he gets in trouble again……
Houston didn’t give that contract to a guy who was still unsigned when the season started due to assault allegations.
That’s true, but I don’t think that Traci was implying that part of it. Houston did knock over that domino, though. I don’t think that it’s a bad thing-I for one like the idea of guaranteed contracts, for my part.
I wonder how many of these “assaults” are money grabs. In other words,” He gonna be rich, so let’s see what he’ll pay to keep me quiet.” How is the athlete supposed to prove he or she is innocent? I would hate to be a famous athlete in today’s society because they have a big target on their back from the get-go.
Imagine how much you would hate being a woman assaulted by an athlete and having huge numbers of people assume the worst about you if you actually report it.
Domestic violence against women and children is a huge issue and most victims never report it out of fear and when they do report it, the justice system does little to nothing about it….
You both make good points. Let’s not pretend that women don’t horribly allege things for massive amounts of composition. Conversely there are victims of domestic abuse all over the world and it saddens me
You don’t need to talk about a rare thing and an extremely common thing like they’re equivalent. In fact discussing them that way only encourages a culture of doubting and punishing victims who dare to come forward.
@Ooof- listen man no rational man with a moral compass likes seeing women get harmed. You’re living under a rock if you haven’t seen the false allegations coming at Rich and higher status men from scornful women. Both exist. It’s a fact
You could just reread my last comment man. “Rich and higher status men” getting away with committing assault–and seeing their victims get punished more for speaking out than their assailants do for their crimes–is way more common than false allegations actually having any serious effect. Sexual assault and domestic abuse are vastly, vastly bigger and more common problems than false allegations. Hell, the leading cause of death of pregnant women in this country is murder, and the vast majority of those murders are committed by their partners.
“Both exist. It’s a fact”
One exists in an extremely disproportionate manner to the other. No one is pretending that false allegations don’t exist. But talking about them like they’re anything but a tiny, tiny minority is wrong. And on top of it, there are so many cases where nothing even gets reported. What is even the point of talking about “scornful women” who “horribly allege” things when actual abuse is a much, much bigger problem?
It happens way more than tiny bit
Compared to actual assault and abuse? No it does not.
We are trying to make two different points here. I’m saying it happens. You’re saying compared to XYZ it doesn’t. So what’s your point overall?? I never even said judkins was falsely accused either
My point overall is that rushing to bring up the idea of false accusations for cash grab is garbage, and here you’ve been peddling that garbage. You could simply not.
I rushed to nothing lol.
You’ve posted four times here about women making up false accusations. A little eager with that one.
Not eager at all lol
Oooof–Imagine how you would feel being accused of hitting a woman if you didn’t do it. Some women are evil and/ or vindictive. Not saying that’s the case on this one, but it’s happened enough times that people should be skeptical and not condemn the athlete for something he may not have done. Besides if a woman comes at you with a knife or another weapon are you going to stand there and get stabbed because you don’t want to hit a woman?
@Man What Runs-exactly my point. Dude wasn’t understanding I’m saying it’s always a possibility.
Really going out of your way to imagine scenarios where she’s the villain.
Oooof–Nope, just seen a few marital break ups including when I was a child where the women are the aggressor. I learned the lesson early that women can be the one who won’t stop and aren’t always the poor unfortunate victim. When it comes to gunplay and things very similar it is time to get as far away from these “innocent victims” as possible. So, yeah I’m not going out of my way to imagine a scenario, been there and lived it. Sorry to get graphic because you guys don’t give a rats hindquarters about me or my experiences. But, as people say, I’ve seen some things, so maybe my judgement is clouded, but you can’t erase bad memories, just live with them. I’ll see my way out and let you gentle people carry on with your discussion.
Not at all. You can calm down now it’s back to football. White knighting on this website is insane. You’re trying to gaslight me into saying she’s lying about abuse which I never said. Won’t work buddy. We can talk about Sunday predictions though lol
“White knighting.” Lotta incel talk here.
Ok buddy lol
Well Judkins already had money thanks to the NIL but he admitted to punching her in the mouth claiming self defense….
Traci – If she had a weapon then I can see self defense, but if it was just her hands and feet he should have left.
Seems pretty easy to keep your circle close and not associate with people willing to do that. I don’t know there’s a lot of guys who don’t have these problems, maybe the problem is the guys like Judkins are too stupid to be careful.
You’re worried about something that, statistically speaking, almost never happens. Also, I think if you were a famous athlete, I think you’d find a way to not ‘hate’ it.
Ok buddy lol
rct- Please show me the statistics that your observation is based on, otherwise it is an opinion and not fact based. If I was a famous athlete I would go from whatever venue I was playing at straight to my house with video of some kind running at all times. Yes it might be paranoid, but to each his own.
Studies show only about 2% of assault claims are false while up to 80% of incidents never even get reported because victims fear the consequences. And here you are focusing on the rare false claims instead of the much bigger problem. SMH
Well my Browns obviously didn’t learn from the Watson contract…hopefully they inserted language to punish him financially when he gets in trouble again…
They also gave Isaiah Bond a lot of guaranteed money for a UDFA.
Yes they did and I don’t like that deal either
Oh I know where you stand on all this and you have my sympathy
The Browns need to change the colors from Orange to Orange with stripes
Bond had a better case, I think. He got no billed by a grand jury. Of course, he still could have acted inappropriately/illegally, that’s always possible. I think that it sounds like he had more plausible doubt than Judkins, not in the least because Bond’s allegation was one of consensual sex turning into non-consensual sex. Judkins’ involved a visible injury that needed to be accounted for. It’s harder to prove intent or mindset than it is physical injury, of course.
That’s just my opinion, which is not the same as my opinion on whether either player is guilty. This is just my opinion that Bond has more reasonable doubt than Judkins does, with the information that I have available.
Sure, I didn’t mean to make it a direct equivalency on that count. Bond was also falling in the draft due to character issues and reputation before the sexual assault charge even came around. Again, a less than ideal guy to give unusual guarantees when you’re already dealing with those issues elsewhere on your roster.
Oh yeah, that’s fair.
This reminds me of Joe Mixon when he came out of the draft.
Mixon had a much better car because his was caught on camera. Mixon was struck first, and then struck the girl that hit him. He was not criminally charged, but was sued civilly for her damages.
Great lesson taught.
I don’t understand why the Browns might get a roster exemption. Im not being snarky – what is the criteria?
He gets two weeks to ramp up before the Browns have to place him on the roster, it’s standard in the NFL….hoping he gets suspended and then the Browns trade him…..don’t need that immature drama in our locker room
Its not always consistent. Im pretty sure.
Teams get roster exemptions for a wide variety of reasons
Right.
But not all players charged with crimes do.
Hence the question.
Probably because Judkins wasn’t under contract and ultimately wasn’t prosecuted at the state’s discretion. That’s my guess. If Cleveland had him signed, maybe it would have been different.
Maybe – but I think other players have been suspended for college behavior when entering NFL.
I don’t remember any exemptions for guys like Terrelle Pryor, or Zeke.
If the timing of the contract matters that seems odd.
Fair points. I’m not sure if that’s protocol driven or on a case by case basis. Interesting query, though.
Let the good times roll.
Hopefully no pay during the upcoming suspension.
I hope not…Judkins certainly hasn’t earned it. What really sucks, is the player who worked his tail off and was a model citizen will get cut once Judkins is cleared to play
Yes, I wrote “no pay”.
Spit on a player, 15 yds and ejection. Beat the hell out of a woman, fully guaranteed contract and no penalty. Way to go NFL