Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins was a full participant in practice on Thursday.
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Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins was a full participant in practice on Thursday.
Quinshon Judkins was back in action for the Cleveland Browns on Thursday and the rookie running back is trending towards playing on Sunday.
The Browns listed Judkins as a full participant in Thursday’s practice, marking his first full workload since spring workouts. While that designation doesn’t guarantee he’ll suit up against the Ravens in Week 2, it’s an encouraging step forward.
“Judkins can play. This is a ramp-up period for him. He may see action this weekend. The fact that he was a full participant is certainly a good sign as he prepares to play,” Mike Garofolo of NFL Network said. “Once he does, they’ll ramp him up. He didn’t have any contact during the summer or participate in training camp. Quinshon Judkins is on his way sometime in the near future to play in an NFL game.”
After an extended holdout and off-field issues, Judkins signed with the Browns on Sept. 6. Cleveland has a two-week roster exemption for Judkins as he gets up to speed. If he remains out this week, he’ll make his debut on Sept. 21 against the Green Bay Packers.
Suspension Still Possible for Browns RB Quinshon Judkins
Even if the Browns feel Judkins is ready to go, there is the potential that he could be suspended before Sunday’s game. He was in New York earlier in the week to meet with league officials to discuss his arrest for domestic battery. The charges have been dropped but a suspension is still possible for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told cleveland.com that there is no timeline for making a decision on Judkins. The focus for the Browns is getting Judkins game-ready.
“We’ve got to see how he progresses, right?” offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said Thursday. “There’s the physical part of it, there’s the player’s health part of it, there’s the mental part of it. There are so many different aspects when you’re looking to prepare a guy. We have a lot of trust in all the different facets of our organization that will help get them there. And we’ll just monitor as it goes this week, and hopefully it reaps good benefits. But we’ll take it one day at a time and see where it goes.”
Quinshon Judkins Could Boost Browns’ Running Game
The Browns couldn’t establish any rhythm on the ground during their 17-16 Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The rushing attack mustered just 49 total yards, averaging a meager 2.0 yards per carry. Cleveland’s longest run of the afternoon went for only five yards, underscoring the team’s struggles to generate any consistent push.
“Missed opportunities in the run game for sure,” Rees said. “If teams play us a certain style, we need to take advantage of looks that are advantageous. We need all 11 in the run game, the quarterbacks making sure we’re in the right IDs, the backs making sure we’re on the right tracks, the line working the right combinations. It’s such a nuanced part of offensive football, that we’ve just got to continue to coach our tails off on the details of it to make sure that our guys are understanding where we’re going. But, definitely frustrating to have some misses there and we need that balance to make sure that we can sustain drives and sustain series.”
Judkins, Cleveland’s No. 36 overall pick, has the potential to be a true difference-maker. The Browns envision him as a workhorse back capable of anchoring the offense with steady production.
Fellow rookie Dylan Sampson also turned heads in his debut, catching eight passes for 64 yards while adding 29 yards on the ground across 12 carries.