Devin Bush

NFL Legal Notes: Browns, Rice, Ruggs

In keeping with her prior update on first-year running back Quinshon Judkins, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com confirmed Judkins did not report to training camp with the rest of the Browns’ rookies on Friday. Veterans are due to report on Tuesday, with the first full-squad practice scheduled for Wednesday.

Judkins, a second-round pick, was expected to compete for a significant workload right away, as only Jerome Ford was penciled in above him on the depth chart. Judkins may still see a great deal of action in 2025, but a misdemeanor domestic battery charge has put his NFL career on hold. For now, Cleveland wants Judkins to focus on resolving his legal issues, and it sounds as if the team will not sign him to his rookie contract until that happens.

And, when the legal matter is resolved, Judkins could face discipline from the NFL. Until then, players like fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson and holdover Pierre Strong will get more reps.

Let’s take a look at a few more legal matters impacting players around the league:

  • As expected, Browns LB Devin Bush was arraigned on charges of simple assault and harassment on Friday, per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. After making 16 appearances (10 starts) in his first year in Cleveland in 2024, Bush re-signed with the club on a one-year pact in March. Although the addition of Carson Schwesinger in this year’s draft will eat into Bush’s playing time, the former first-round pick of the Steelers should remain involved in at least a rotational capacity. He will have a pre-trial hearing on August 15.
  • Despite a February DUI charge, and despite having failed to earn a role as a regular starter over his first four years in the league, the Ravens re-signed OL Ben Cleveland to a one-year deal this offseason. Baltimore appears to appreciate Cleveland’s ability to back up multiple spots on the O-line and is prepared to once again carry him on the roster as a reserve. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Cleveland’s trial has been postponed to November 13. He has pleaded not guilty.
  • Chiefs WR Rashee Rice was facing three civil suits stemming from the street-racing crash that took place in March 2024 (the criminal component of the incident was recently resolved, with Rice receiving a 30-day jail sentence and five years of probation). Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star says Rice settled one of the civil matters for $1.086MM, which will accrue interest until paid. Rice, a 2023 second-rounder, has no guaranteed money remaining on his rookie deal, and he stands to lose roughly $70K for every week he misses due to suspension in 2025 (h/t Spotrac, which also notes the club could seek repayment of a portion of Rice’s signing bonus — roughly $23K per week).
  • Like Rice, Texans RB Joe Mixon had a civil suit to resolve. As Sheree Paolello of WLWT 5 reports, Mixon settled a lawsuit involving a teenage boy who was shot with a real bullet while playing Nerf Wars near Mixon’s home in March 2023, when Mixon was still a member of the Bengals. As Paolello detailed in a full-length piece a few months after the incident, the shots were allegedly fired by the boyfriend of Mixon’s sister, though the victim’s family believed the gun and ammunition were owned by Mixon. The details of the settlement will not be released. 
  • Jordan Addison recently entered into a plea agreement in his DUI matter. While the Vikings’ wide receiver did consider going to trial, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network (video link), he did not want the issue creating a distraction during training camp. He could still receive a suspension from the league, of course.
  • We heard in May that former Raiders WR Henry Ruggs, currently imprisoned for a drunk-driving incident that resulted in the horrific death of a woman and her dog, is eyeing an NFL return. He will be eligible for parole in August 2026, and if he is granted parole, Albert Breer of SI.com believes an NFL club could give him another chance. Breer says it is unclear whether the league would suspend Ruggs; a league official told Breer the matter would be “reviewed” when the time comes.

Browns Rumors: Sanders, Tillman, Fannin

The Browns received unfortunate news in the early hour of this morning when rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders was pulled over for allegedly driving 101 mph in a 60-mph zone. Sanders was issued a citation, which he can fight in court or pay for with a fine, according to the breaking report from Emily Smith and Peggy and Ed Gallek of the Fox 8 I-Team.

Aside from the potential danger of driving at such speeds, what’s so unfortunate about all of this for Cleveland is that it comes on the heels of Sanders falling in an historic way in the 2025 NFL Draft from a projected top-10 pick to Day 3. One of the main reasons cited by the teams that passed on him time and time again was character concerns. There were concerns about his maturity having only ever been coached by his father, and several teams were reportedly turned off by his behavior in pre-draft interviews.

Ultimately, this is just one mistake, but it’s one that will hit Sanders’ pockets a bit harder after he failed to secure first-round money. Though there are many who believe he could be a starter for the team this year, we continue to see reports that he and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel are working behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for backup roles. If Sanders has any intentions of leading the Browns offense on Sundays, he’ll need to avoid mistakes such as these that only seem to validate his fall in the draft.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of The Land:

  • In an online Q&A this past weekend, ESPN’s Tony Grossi claimed there was a high likelihood that Cleveland adds another wide receiver to the team before the start of the year. Zac Jackson of The Athletic agreed with this sentiment, saying how in offseason workouts so far, Jerry Jeudy has been leaps and bounds above the rest of a group that doesn’t seem to be inspiring much confidence. Of course, this group does not include Cedric Tillman or Michael Woods II at the moment as both are sidelined with minor injuries. While Grossi suggested both players should feel pressure to get back on the field soon, Jackson called Tillman a “locked-in starter” if healthy. Regardless, barring a breakout training camp performance by one of the current crew, the Browns will likely still be interested in adding a receiver in the weeks leading up to the regular season.
  • In a later breakdown of the team’s pass catchers, Jackson noted that, despite the impressive start he’s shown thus far, rookie third-round tight end Harold Fannin is seen as more of a long-term project than an immediate plug-and-play. The NCAA’s leader in receptions and receiving yards last year, Fannin holds versatile potential to play in an H-back role, in the slot, or in-line, but Njoku is still going to be the go-to receiving tight end in 2025. Increased two-tight end sets would give Fannin more opportunities on the field, but in order to be the second tight end in those sets, he’ll need to earn the coaches’ trust as a blocker, an area in which he has plenty of room for improvement.
  • Following charges of simple assault and harassment levied at linebacker Devin Bush in May, Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal gave us an update on the proceedings. Bush appeared in front of a judge earlier this month and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Now, he’ll have a formal arraignment on the morning of July 18 at which point he’ll enter a plea on the charges against him.

Browns LB Devin Bush Charged With Simple Assault, Harassment

11:15am: Further details have emerged in this case through the police report (h/t Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). Per the report, the charges stem from an alleged altercation between Bush and his girlfriend. An argument between the two resulted in the latter filming the incident on her phone, which led to Bush allegedly “[clutching] the phone to her chest while he pinned her against a massage table, putting his full body weight on top of her.”

Bush’s girlfriend told police abrasions which were found on her right wrist and right foot were caused by the incident, which resulted in her phone being smashed. Bush admitted to destroying the phone when speaking to police but denied getting physical with the alleged victim.

8:59am: Browns linebacker Devin Bush was arrested in the Bell Acres Borough of Pennsylvania on Sunday, as first reported by Colin Dunlap of KDKA radio. Bush now faces charges of simple assault and harassment.

Per Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal, court records show Bush has been arraigned and has posted a non-monetary bail. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for May 20 in the Allegheny County Magistral District Court. The simple assault represents a second-degree misdemeanor, while the harassment charge is a summary offense.

A team statement from the Browns indicates they are aware of the situation and are gathering more information at this time. Bush’s legal process will begin to play out later this month. Irrespective of what happens on that front, league discipline under the personal conduct policy could be in play.

Bush spent his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers, facing high expectations after Pittsburgh moved up in the draft to select him. The Michigan product had a highly productive rookie campaign but did not develop as hoped after that, and he departed in free agency in 2023. A one-year Seahawks deal resulted in a depth role for Seattle, and Bush followed that up with a return to the AFC North last offseason.

The 26-year-old made 16 appearances and 10 starts in 2024 for Cleveland, collecting 76 tackles. He re-signed on a one-year deal in March, paving the way for another campaign with the Browns. A fine or suspension limiting his availability for the 2025 season could be in play depending on how this situation unfolds, however.

AFC North Contract Details: Slaton, Ricard, Bush, Harrison

Here is a list of some of the released contract details concerning some free agent signings from the AFC North:

  • Patrick Ricard, FB (Ravens): One year, $2.87MM. Because of the new CBA’s four-year qualifying options, players who have been with the same team for four or more consecutive seasons can earn more than they count against the salary cap. As a result, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Ricard will only count for $1.42MM against the cap. The deal includes $167.5K in guarantees in the form of a signing bonus.
  • Tylan Wallace, WR (Ravens): One year, $2.1MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Wallace’s new deal will have $1.35MM guaranteed including a $930K signing bonus. Additional void years from 2026 to 2029 will spread his cap hit out over time.
  • T.J. Slaton, DT (Bengals): Two years, $14.1MM. Per Wilson, Slaton’s contract has $5MM of guarantees. The $5MM of guarantees comes in the form of a 2025 league year roster bonus. Slaton can also earn an active roster bonus of $20K per game and a playtime incentive that could pay out an additional $500K for the year.
  • Cody Ford, G (Bengals): Two years, $6MM. Per Wilson, Ford’s deal has $1MM of guarantees in the form of a signing bonus. He can also earn an active roster bonus of $29.41K per game and an additional $500K for playing 75 percent of the team’s offensive snaps each year.
  • Marco Wilson, CB (Bengals): One year, $1.52MM. Per Aaron Wilson, Marco Wilson’s guaranteed money comes in the form of a $150K signing bonus. He’ll also be able to earn an active roster bonus of $5.88K per game.
  • Devin Bush, LB (Browns): One year, $3.25MM. Per Wilson, Bush’s contract includes $2.97MM in guarantees that are comprised of a $1.8MM signing bonus and the entirety of his $1.17MM base salary. Bush can earn an active roster bonus of $15K per game and an additional $250K through incentives. The team added four void years to the deal in order to space out his cap impact.
  • Malik Harrison, LB (Steelers): Two years, $10MM. Per Wilson, Harrison’s contract includes $4.08MM in guarantees in the form of a signing bonus.

Browns, LB Devin Bush Agree To Deal

Relocating in each of the past two offseasons, Devin Bush is staying in Cleveland. The Browns and the veteran linebacker have reached an agreement on a second contract, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reports.

Formerly a Steelers first-rounder — after a rare Round 1 trade-up from the team — Bush moved on to the Seahawks in 2023 and Browns in 2024. While the second-generation NFLer has not justified his first-round pedigree, he has remained a viable starter. The Browns will give him another chance, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the sides are in agreement on a $3.25MM deal.

Bush, 26, will see a slight raise after playing last season for $1.5MM. While the Deshaun Watson mess engulfed the Browns last season, Bush quietly worked as a regular starter. This came during a season in which the Browns lost Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah midway through and played five games without fellow starter Jordan Hicks. Bush made 76 tackles, and his nine TFLs were his most since his rookie season.

Despite Pro Football Focus grading Bush as a top-10 off-ball linebacker last season, no notable market appears to have emerged. Bush has made 61 career starts, being a primary starter in Pittsburgh and Cleveland (and a backup in Seattle during Bobby Wagner‘s Seahawks farewell season). He will continue to attempt to climb up the ladder during this one-year deal, the Michigan alum’s third straight one-year agreement with a team since the Steelers declined his fifth-year option.

The Browns still have Hicks rostered, ahead of an age-33 season, and paid Owusu-Koramoah last year. The latter, however, suffered a major injury and is not certain to be ready for the 2025 season. Cleveland saving money with Bush, as it remains tied to Deshaun Watson‘s outlier contract, also makes sense, as Owusu-Koramoah is on a $12MM-AAV accord.

Browns Sign LB Devin Bush

Devin Bush is headed back to the AFC North. Bush left Pittsburgh last year to sign with the Seahawks, and after one year on the west coast, Bush is finding his way back east. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Bush will return to face his former team twice in 2024 as a member of the Browns.

The signing came shortly after Bush visited Cleveland yesterday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. In the afternoon following the visit, Bush signed a one-year contract to return to the AFC North. Not only is Bush making a return to his former division, but he also makes a personal return to Cleveland, a city in which his father, Devin Bush Sr., played the final two years of his career.

Formerly the 10th overall pick of the 2019 draft out of Michigan, Bush joined the Steelers, who had been searching for a replacement for former linebacker Ryan Shazier after he suffered a serious spinal injury that would eventually end his NFL career. Bush showed promise as a rookie, starting all but one of his 16 game appearances. In that first season, Bush broke the 100-tackle mark for the only time in his career and delivered other statistics in interceptions (2), passes defensed (4), forced fumbles (1), fumble recoveries (4), and tackles for loss (9) that still stand as career highs. He finished third in votes for the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year.

In his sophomore season, Bush suffered a torn ACL in a Week 5 matchup against the Browns. While he was able to bounce back and start 14 games in 2021, the Steelers ultimately decided to decline Bush’s fifth-year option, making that fourth season his final year in Pittsburgh. After a similar season the following year, Bush departed for Seattle on a one-year, $3.5MM deal. In Seattle, Bush played a reserve role behind Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks. He made three starts for the Seahawks while only playing 21 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.

In Cleveland, Bush will have an opportunity to compete and return to another starting job. Former Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks was signed to fill one of the holes created from the departures of Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker to the Patriots and Dolphins, respectively. Bush should be given a chance to start alongside Hicks and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

Seahawks, LB Devin Bush Agree To Deal; Team Still In Play For Bobby Wagner?

MARCH 22: Bush’s one-year deal is worth $3.5MM, per ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson (on Twitter). The former top-10 pick will receive the bulk of the money ($2.99MM) guaranteed.

MARCH 17: The Seahawks hosted a few players on free agency visits Thursday. Devin Bush stood out to the team, and the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta reports the veteran linebacker agreed to a deal.

A former top-10 Steelers draftee, Bush joined Julian Love and Lonnie Johnson on Seattle visits. GM John Schneider had recently said the inside linebacker position was an area of concern for the team, and Bush will be en route to help address it. This late-night agreement is a one-year pact, per Condotta.

Although Bush started 48 games during his Steelers rookie-contract years, this agreement will double as a flier. Pittsburgh reduced the former No. 10 overall pick’s playing time last season and revamped its inside linebacker group this week. Bush will also join a team that has seen some movement at the position. Seahawks 2022 starter Cody Barton signed with the Commanders.

The Steelers held high hopes for Bush. They traded up 10 spots with the Broncos, who drafted current Seahawks tight end Noah Fant at No. 20, in 2019. That move marked the first time Pittsburgh had moved up in Round 1 since selecting Troy Polamalu in 2003. Bush racked up stats as a rookie (109 tackles, nine TFLs, two INTs, four fumbles recoveries) but saw a 2020 ACL tear blunt his momentum. Over the past two years, the Michigan product ended up playing his way out of Pittsburgh.

Pro Football Focus graded Bush as a bottom-tier linebacker in 2021, as he struggled to return to form. While the advanced metrics site ranked the young defender just outside the top 50 at linebacker last season, the Steelers used him on career-low 62% of their defensive snaps. The team did not pick up Bush’s fifth-year option in 2022, sending him to this year’s market.

But Bush, he of a 4.43-second 40-yard dash time back in 2019, does not turn 25 until this summer and could become an important cog for the 2023 Seahawks. Barton is gone, and top linebacker Jordyn Brooks is recovering from an ACL tear sustained in January. The former first-round pick will be a candidate to the start the season on the reserve/PUP list.

The Seahawks have also been linked to a reunion with Bobby Wagner. The recent Rams cap casualty should still be expected to reside on the radar for a Seattle return, Condotta adds. Schneider and Pete Carroll have spoken with Wagner about a possible return, despite the team releasing him on the same day it traded Russell Wilson last year. Wagner asked for his Rams release, seeking to join a team in better position to contend in 2023. Despite the NFC West rivals’ statuses going into last season, the Seahawks suddenly look to be in a better contention spot. If Brooks is not back to start the season, the Seahawks will almost definitely need to make another starter-level linebacker addition.

Seahawks To Host LB Devin Bush, S Julian Love, DB Lonnie Johnson

On Day 2 of the 2023 league year, the visit stage of free agency appears upon us. The Seahawks will act accordingly, being set to host two defenders coming off their respective rookie contracts.

Linebacker Devin Bush and safety Julian Love will head to Seattle for summits with Seahawks brass Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The Seahawks have been busy along their defensive front but have thus far waited out the markets at linebacker and in the secondary.

Love’s inclusion here is interesting, both given the Seahawks’ personnel at the position and the Giants’ in retaining their young safety starter. Although the Giants began negotiations with Love before free agency began, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard notes (via Twitter) the sides are not close on terms.

Love is just 24 (25 this weekend) despite having been in the NFL four seasons, and after Jabrill Peppers and Logan Ryan relocated last year, the former Giants fourth-round pick played a vital role for Don Martindale’s defense. He logged 1,006 snaps during a season in which Xavier McKinney and Adoree’ Jackson missed extended stretches, helping Big Blue secure its first playoff berth in six years. Love made 124 tackles and intercepted two passes last season.

The Seahawks are already the most well-invested team at the safety position, having Jamal Adams still on a top-market contract and having re-signed Quandre Diggs last year. Even after the Falcons added Jessie Bates for $16MM on average, Diggs’ $13MM-per-year contract still ranks within the top 10 at the position. The Seahawks are coming off a season in which Adams played one game, but Love might prove too pricey for a role alongside this duo.

Following a productive rookie season, Bush could not become a Steelers anchor at linebacker. The team, which traded up for Bush in the 2019 first round, reduced his playing time last season. Bush logged a career-low 62% defensive snap rate with Pittsburgh in 2022, after the team passed on his fifth-year option.

Pro Football Focus slotted Bush just outside the top 50 at linebacker last season; that did mark a bump after the advanced metrics site rated him as one of the worst players at the position in 2021. The Michigan product did play 17 games, making a sufficient recovery from the ACL tear that sidetracked his career back in 2020, but he did not check in as one of this crowded off-ball linebacker market’s top options heading into free agency.

Seattle has Jordyn Brooks signed through 2023, with a fifth-year option decision looming, but lost 2022 starter Cody Barton to the Commanders. The team has been connected to a possible Bobby Wagner reunion; GM John Schneider intends to monitor the Seahawks legend’s market. Bush would be a much lower-profile addition, but the Seahawks will kick the tires on the younger linebacker today. Bush is going into his age-25 season.

Defensive back Lonnie Johnson will also be part of this visit, Schefter adds (on Twitter). The former Texans second-round pick spent 2022 with two teams — the Chiefs and Titans — following a trade and waiver claim. The Texans bailed on Johnson, whom they tried at cornerback and safety, by trading him to the Chiefs. Kansas City waived Johnson in August. He ended up playing in 12 games as a Tennessee backup last season. The fifth-year defender has 19 career starts on his resume.

AFC Notes: Patrick, Lambo, Bush

One of many injuries the Broncos have had to deal with in 2022 is the ACL tear suffered by linebacker Aaron Patrick during an October Monday Night Football game against the Chargers. That came as a result of a collision between the special teamer and a member of an ESPN TV crew member, and has now led to legal action being taken.

Patrick is suing a long list of individuals and entities which includes the NFL, ESPN, the Rams and Chargers, the owners and operators of SoFi Stadium, and the crew worker he collided with. As detailed by Mike Klis of 9News, the 25-year-old is seeking unlimited civil damages and is aiming for a jury trial. Patrick, a former UDFA, lost between $200K and $400K in 2022 pay according to his attorneys, and some of his 2023 salary ($940K) could be at risk depending on the success of his rehab.

As the filing claims, Patrick’s injury came about due to the location of not only the crew member, but the mats in place to cover TV cables near the sideline. That has resulted in the long list of defendants, though none of them initially commented on the situation, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

Here are some other AFC notes, including another legal update:

  • The Jaguars endured a disastrous 2021 campaign under head coach Urban Meyer, a short-lived spell which included an alleged kicking incident with then-kicker Josh Lambo. The latter sued the team this past May regarding the work environment in Jacksonville under Meyer, but that suit has been tossed out of court (Twitter link via Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic). As Kaplan notes, though, the judge overseeing the case has given Lambo the opportunity to re-file the suit.
  • Devin Bush was a talking point throughout the offseason for the Steelers, since the team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option puts him in line for free agency in March. That has led to an expectation the former first-round linebacker will depart in 2023, though he has remained a full-time starter this season. An improvement in play this year – during which the Michigan product has totaled 62 tackles and played every defensive snap last week – can be attributed to Pittsburgh’s new LBs coach, Brian Flores, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (subscription required). In spite of that, however, Kaboly still predicts that Bush will receive no more than a cursory contract offer from the Steelers and ultimately head elsewhere during the spring.

Steelers Notes: Reed, Pickens, Bush

Pass-rush depth had long been something the Steelers were reported to be seeking this offseason. Pittsburgh addressed the issue earlier this week by acquiring Malik Reed and a 2023 seventh-round pick from the Broncos in exchange for a sixth-rounder. It appears that Reed’s destination was no coincidence.

When speaking about the decision to trade the 26-year-old, Broncos GM George Paton said, via Kyle Newman of the Denver Post“We have a lot of really talented outside backers who can rush. We thought it would be best to trade Malik and trade him to somewhere where he’s going to fit in… He wanted to go to Pittsburgh, and we found a home for him. I think it’s a win-win for both sides.”

Reed will enter his contract year slated to operate as the team’s third outside linebacker behind T.J. Watt and Alex HighsmithWith 15 sacks and an equal number of tackles for loss during his three seasons in Denver, the Nevada product should give his new team the productivity off the edge they were looking for.

Here are some other notes from the Steel City:

  • Immediately following the trade, Reed agreed to re-work his contract. His base salary has dropped from $2.43MM to $1.5MM, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Field Yates. With a productive season, he will no doubt earn a raise over that figure, but for 2022 he projects as a highly cost-effective option off the bench for a Steelers team which already led the league in sacks last season.
  • One of the stars of training camp and the preseason has been rookie wideout George Pickensto the point where many have wondered how the Steelers were able to land him at No. 52 in the draft. Per PFF’s Doug Kyed, the Georgia standout was viewed by many around the NFL as the top receiver prospect after the 2020 college season, and that things only changed after his ACL tear the following spring and the rise of character concerns. As a so-called ‘wild card’ prospect, he was ultimately the 11th WR to hear his name called, but he could have a productive rookie season alongside Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool, and has the upside to outperform most (if not all) of the pass-catchers chosen ahead of him.
  • Much of the talk surrounding the team this offseason has been the expectations placed on linebacker Devin Bush. The team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option has left many believing the former top-10 pick will be playing elsewhere in 2023. One pundit of that opinion is Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, who wrote last month that Bush is “nowhere near where he should be” considering his experience and draft pedigree. Kaboly adds that the team may need to alter its personnel packages based on whether or not Bush is on the field – a far cry from the every-down, playmaking defender the Michigan alum was drafted to become.
  • In addition to reinforcements along the defensive edges, the Steelers were active in seeking o-line depth. In fact, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Pittsburgh was “the team that came up most often” in trade talks (Twitter link). Fowler names Dennis Daley (who was dealt to Tennessee) as one of the team’s targets; they ultimately acquired Jesse Davis from the Vikings hours after the Reed deal. The 30-year-old was a starter on the Dolphins’ underwhelming offensive front last season, but could provide experienced depth for a unit the Steelers hope will take a step forward in 2022.