Sportsnaut
Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins spent Wednesday in New York meeting with NFL officials regarding his offseason arrest, according to cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The session was conducted under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy, and it leaves Judkins’ availability for Sunday’s divisional game in Baltimore up in the air.
The Browns did not confirm details of the meeting, but head coach Kevin Stefanski acknowledged the team is taking Judkins’ situation “day by day.” The 20-year-old second-round pick returned to the roster this week after missing training camp and preseason while his case wound through the legal system.
Judkins was arrested in July on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge following an incident in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Prosecutors declined to pursue the case last month, citing conflicting evidence, no surveillance footage, and a lack of independent witnesses. Despite that, the NFL launched its own investigation, as is standard under its conduct policy.
Judkins’ defense reportedly included video evidence that may support his version of events. The league could choose not to suspend him, though the timeline for a decision is uncertain. Last year, Cleveland saw a similar case result in a suspension: defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. was banned for five games despite pleading down to disorderly conduct.
Judkins’ uncertain status comes at a difficult time for the Browns. In Sunday’s season-opening 17-16 loss to the Bengals, Cleveland’s rushing attack was nearly non-existent. The team managed just 49 yards on 24 carries.
Rookie Dylan Sampson led the way with 29 yards on 12 attempts, while Jerome Ford, who ran for 881 yards in 2024, was bottled up for only eight yards on six carries. The team’s longest run went just five yards. Without consistent production on the ground, quarterback Joe Flacco attempted 41 passes, far more than the Browns would prefer in Kevin Stefanski’s ball-control offense.
Judkins was drafted 36th overall out of Ohio State, where he rushed for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns last season after transferring from Ole Miss. With his blend of power and contact balance, he has been viewed as the heir apparent to Nick Chubb, who left for Houston in free agency.
Judkins is expected to rejoin the team in Berea as soon as Thursday, though whether he suits up in Baltimore will depend on the league’s review. The Browns are hopeful he can provide a spark, but they must also prepare to face the Ravens without him.
For a team already under pressure after a narrow divisional loss, the decision on Judkins could play a major role in shaping their early-season outlook.
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