Second-round draft picks are entering a new era in the NFL, where many of them look for fully guaranteed rookie deals. While teams warm up to the new reality, many second-round picks have been holding out on signing their rookie contracts. The dominoes finally started to fall this week. Pick No. 33—the first selection of the second round—received a fully guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Browns. So did pick Nos. 34 and 35 with their respective teams. But Browns RB Quinshon Judkins was pick No. 36 and he was [arrested over the weekend](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/07/report-browns-rookie-rb-quinshon-judkins-arrested/) on domestic violence and battery charges.
Even though he hasn’t signed his contract, Judkins is still subject to the NFL’s personal conduct policy, and the charges brought against him are very serious. Adam Schefter joined [Rothman & Ice on 97.1 the Fan](https://open.spotify.com/episode/0c7PB45f42y2qg8yxJaLEZ?si=dc13d4a01d4b4011) in Columbus, Ohio and outlined the dilemma facing Judkins and the Browns.
“He hasn’t signed a deal yet, and all these second-round draft picks are fighting to get their deals fully guaranteed,” Schefter said. “I’ll make a prediction right now. The Browns will not fully guarantee Quinshon Judkins’ contract. Now, maybe they wouldn’t have anyways, but this I think just clinched it. There’s no way they’re guaranteeing that money now. No way!”
There are obviously other issues in this situation that go beyond football, but inevitably decisions will have to be made in Cleveland for their unsigned draft pick. The legal process will work itself out and the NFL will get involved. That could very well include Judkins being placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while the NFL investigates and ultimately hands down whatever form of punishment they deem appropriate.
“I think you have to sign him, but now you gotta protect yourself,” Schefter said. “There’s language in the contracts, like what if he’s found guilty? What if the charges…what if he goes to jail? There’s language in the contracts that protects the team. They’re not gonna guarantee the money.”
Simply getting him signed and cleared to play by the league already seems like an uphill battle. This comes as the Browns just moved on from Nick Chubb in the offseason. Notably for them, they also drafted RB Dylan Sampson. But it’s a significant and unwanted distraction right before the start of training camp.