Cleveland thought it had a future star in Quinshon Judkins. Assistant GM Glenn Cook went all out while praising the RB. “He brings the brand of football that we want, AFC North ‘back.’ Exceptionally strong, physical, tough, productive three-down guy.” And Judkins? He doubled down. Said he was built for this system. Talked about excelling in the two toughest conferences in college football. “I feel like I fit so great in this offense. – This is the offense that I excel in…The passion as well, and the grit that you can’t coach.” Now all that feels like – ‘All talk, no show.’

And it’s like a punch in the gut for the Browns. The second-rounder wasn’t just supposed to help the run game – he was supposed to headline it. With Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt out of the picture, all signs pointed to the Ohio State standout taking over the spotlight. After all, 1,060 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a natty don’t exactly scream ‘developmental project.’

But the Browns’ carefully drawn-up blueprint? It’s now smudged. As reported by Mary Kay Cabot, “#Browns RB Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned and won’t report to training camp today with the rest of the rookies. He’s focusing more on his legal matter right now and so are the #Browns.” Judkins, who was supposed to be the centerpiece of Cleveland’s run game rebuild, is now a contractual question mark. Without a deal, he’s basically floating in limbo – his future with the franchise entirely dependent on how the next few weeks play out. A few months ago, he was viewed as a three-down monster. Now? He’s a massive ‘what if?’

But here’s the real kicker: talks for a guaranteed contract haven’t even started, and at this point, they may never. ESPN’s Adam Schefter didn’t sugarcoat it. “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!” And honestly? How could they?

One moment, Judkins was their handpicked successor to Nick Chubb. Next, he’s a legal risk with bruises on a resume that hasn’t even made it to training camp. This isn’t about talent anymore. It’s about liability. There’s contract language for this exact kind of scenario, and Judkins just became a live example of why it exists. The Browns may still want him in uniform – but not if it costs them guaranteed dollars and headlines they don’t need. And now, the team is expected to reevaluate its running back room.

Browns scramble to secure backfield depth without Quinshon Judkins

The reason for the Browns’ hesitation is no mystery. Judkins was arrested on July 13 in Fort Lauderdale on a misdemeanor domestic violence and battery charge. According to the arrest report, he allegedly punched his girlfriend multiple times – once in the mouth and chin area, then in the arm and thigh – after a confrontation about text messages. The incident occurred in a car after picking her up from the airport. Judkins was taken into custody, released on a $2,500 bond. The NFL is aware of the case, but has not issued a statement. The Browns are still ‘gathering information.’

But coming back to the RB room of the Browns. The team doesn’t yet know how long Judkins might be out – or if he’ll be punished at all. With Judkins’ availability uncertain – and a six-game suspension being the league’s baseline for first-time offenders – the Browns are reportedly exploring options. “They’ll definitely look at their short list of running backs,” Cabot said on 92.3 The Fan. “I’m guessing that they would bring in at least one more running back.”

Jerome Ford is still in the mix, and rookie Dylan Sampson is waiting in the wings; there’s some depth. But it might not be enough. It was supposed to be Judkins’ job. But in classic Cleveland fashion, optimism just got blindsided. Training camp hasn’t even started, and the Browns already have a backfield dilemma.