CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns drafted Quinshon Judkins in the second round out of Ohio State in April to fill the enormous shoes of the great Nick Chubb, and now that’s in jeopardy, at least for part of the season.
On Saturday morning, Judkins was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and charged with misdemeanor battery. He was transported to the Broward County Main Jail, and held there overnight.
As of Sunday afternoon, his case was pending trial, with bond set at $2,500, according to Broward County Sherriff’s Office records.
The Browns said they’re still gathering more information, while the NFL said it’s aware of the matter but declined further comment.
Per the NFL’s personal conduct policy, it will launch its own investigation, likely under the direction of Lisa Friel, the league’s special counsel for investigation.
The arrest occurred just five days before Judkins, the only unsigned Browns draft pick of the seven, is due to report to training camp along with the rest of the rookies and the four quarterbacks on Friday.
Veterans report on July 22, with the first full-squad practice taking place on July 23.
It marks the second straight year that a Browns second-round pick out of Ohio State has been arrested for a domestic incident. Last summer, then-rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. was arrested for domestic violence against his fiancee in Avon, Ohio. He later pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct, and was found guilty. He was fined $250 and placed on two years of non-reporting probation, along with having his 30-day jail sentence suspended.
But the NFL, which has cracked down on domestic violence since former Ravens running back Ray Rice was captured on video assaulting his girlfriend in 2014, suspended Hall five games without pay after placing him on the Commissioner’s Exempt List during the investigation. A player on the Exempt List gets paid but can’t participate in football activities.
Per the NFL’s policy, a six-game suspension without pay is the standard for a first violation involving physical force, but it can be adjusted based on mitigating or aggravating factors.
A second offense results in a lifetime banishment from the league, but a player can petition for reinstatement after a year.
Regardless of how the legal process plays out, the NFL can still suspend Judkins if it determines that physical force or battery occurred. Players arrested or charged with violent or threatening conduct in violation of the policy are also offered a formal clinical evaluation and appropriate counseling or treatment, the cost of which will be paid by the league. When necessary, the victims and their families are offered counseling too.
In the case of Hall, the NFL still suspended him after his fiancee recanted her original accusation that he put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her. Hall was also accused of shoving her, dragging her by the feet out the doorway and down the driveway, punching holes in the wall and throwing a baby bottle at her, according to Avon police.
“I do not recall a gun being put to my hand [sic],” the woman wrote, according to the police report. “I do not recall seeing any guns around me.”
The fiancée also said in the follow-up report that some of the damage to the house might have been caused when moving a bed.
“That night was a blur and anything said isn’t reliable to the events,” the woman said in the follow-up statement.
Hall returned to action after the five-game suspension, but played in only four games and made just five tackles before missing the next four games with a knee injury.
He returned for the final four outings, but totaled 14 tackles in his eight appearances before being carted off in the season finale with a serious knee injury that required surgery. He’s currently rehabbing and hasn’t yet returned to practice. He’s also expressed regret over the domestic incident and has undergone counseling.
If Judkins’ case mirrors that of Hall, he’d be permitted to practice during training camp and play in the preseason games before being placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List at the start of the regular season. At that point, he’d be able to attend meetings and work out at the team facility, but not practice or play.
It remains to be seen how Judkins’ arrest will impact his rookie contract. The Browns gave second-round linebacker Carson Schwesinger, No. 33 overall, a fully guaranteed contract, and the Texans followed suit with a fully guaranteed deal for No. 34 pick Jayden Higgins, a receiver. The other 30 second-round picks remain unsigned as they try to secure similar full guarantees.
Judkins, 21, is the second Browns player to be charged with domestic violence this offseason. Linebacker Devin Bush, 26, was arrested May 5 in Bell Acres Borough, Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh, on charges of misdemeanor assault and harassment involving his girlfriend. He has a formal arraignment Friday in Aleppo Township District Court, and faces NFL discipline regardless of the outcome.
While the legal process played out, Bush participated in the Browns’ offseason program and mandatory minicamp. He was an important part of the linebacker corps last season, easing the loss of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to a season-ending and career-threatening neck injury Oct. 27 against the Ravens.
Bush started 10 games, making 76 tackles, including 45 solo and eight for a loss.
On the final day of minicamp last month, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski delivered his annual speech to the players to stay out of trouble during the month-long summer break, and protect the team.
It’s a tense period for all NFL teams, as they hope to avoid that dreaded late-night phone call about wrongdoing or injury. Shortly thereafter, fifth-round rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was cited for the second time in less than two weeks for speeding in Cleveland while still here participating in rookie orientation. He was clocked going 91 mph in a 65 mph zone in Brunswick Hills on the final day of the organized team activities June 5, and 101 mph in a 60 mph zone on June 17. Sanders, one of four quarterbacks competing for the Browns’ starting job, later expressed remorse for poor choices he’s made in general.
Then came the news Saturday of Judkins’ arrest.
As for what the Browns will do if they must be without their lead back for any length of time, they currently have four other running backs on the roster in fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson, 2024 leading rusher Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr., and Ahmani Marshall, an undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State.
Ford, who led the Browns with 565 yards rushing yards last season and tied Chubb with three TDs, can serve as the workhorse back in Judkins’ absence if necessary, with Sampson mostly providing the third-down changeup. The Browns can also add to the pile if needed.
But the Browns drafted Judkins and Sampson to overhaul their 29th-ranked running game from 2024 and get back to some smash-mouth AFC North football. During draft weekend, they likened Judkins to Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler, and hoped they acquired a one-two punch similar to what Chubb and Kareen Hunt provided. They were so excited about their new duo, they let Chubb walk in free agency, where he signed a one-year deal with the Texans.
“His physicality, his contact balance, the way he runs with strength is something I’ve seen in Nick,” Browns assistant GM Catherine Hickman said during draft weekend. “I’m not saying that this is Nick. What Nick means to this organization is beyond words. But what I’m saying here is this style of play is just going to fit very nicely with what we’re trying to do.”
Browns assistant GM Glenn Cook also raved about Judkins on draft day. During the Buckeyes run to the national championship last season, he led the team with 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns while splitting time with TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins began his career at Ole Miss, where he rushed for 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns in two seasons.
“He’s so big,” Cook said. “He’s so strong. When you get down to the goal line, the field shrinks, and you want a guy who can honestly just power through tackles and change the line of scrimmage on his own. Sometimes you just can’t block it perfectly. The defense tries to tighten up. Also, he’s just really talented. You talk about a kid, he’s 5-11, 220, squats over 600 pounds, runs under 4.5.
“Honestly, he’s just a very gifted individual. We’re playing in a division where there’s some really good defenses, and their mantra is to stop the run and get after the quarterback. When you can have someone who can be just as physical as the guys he’s going against, it only helps.”
Coming off their 3-14 season, the Browns made their running game a priority, and Judkins was their No. 1 target. Now, at least the beginning of his rookie season is in doubt.
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