Cleveland Browns fans had plenty of reasons for excitement and optimism after the team drafted running back Quinshon Judkins early in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft as the potential heir apparent to four-time Pro Bowler Nick Chubb.
But ever since draft weekend, it's been nothing but bad news.
Police in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, arrested the Ohio State product in mid-July on a charge of domestic violence and battery.
"The 21-year-old Judkins had his initial court appearance Sunday morning, and his bond was set at $2,500," Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reported on July 12. "The charge is described as 'touch or strike/battery/domestic violence,' according to the arrest records. The charge is a misdemeanor, Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. David Soika told ESPN."
The legal process has since played out, and Judkins is no longer facing criminal charges. That means no trial and no jail time. However, the NFL may still decide to punish the rookie running back, which creates yet another hitch for Cleveland.
"Though Cleveland second-round pick Quinshon Judkins will not face any charges, he and the Browns still have been unable to reach a deal and may not until the end of any NFL investigation," Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Monday, August 18.
No deal for Judkins obviously means no regular-season playing time for him until he signs one. The Browns open their season against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cleveland on Sunday, September 7, which gives the two sides approximately three weeks to put pen to paper.
As a high second-round pick, Judkins would normally be in line for a relatively lucrative rookie contract. However, it's unclear how league rules and the NFL's enforcement of them in Judkins' case might impact negotiations.
The Browns willingly accepted the onslaught of public backlash when the team traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson in the spring of 2022, as he was facing an array of off-field allegations involving sexual misconduct.
Watson ended up battling more than two dozen lawsuits and went through preliminary criminal proceedings involving 10 of those alleged incidents before two separate Texas grand juries chose not to indict him. The quarterback never admitted guilt in any of the cases but settled north of 20 civil suits that included monetary penalties paid out to the women who filed them.
Judkins came into the franchise with legitimate hype and on the heels of a player in Chubb who the city of Cleveland and the league at large revere widely. So Judkins dealing with off-field issues of any kind, let alone legal problems of this particular nature, is a setback for the Browns organization in several ways.
It is unclear what, if any, participation Cleveland will have in any punishment (suspension and/or fine) Judkins may face.