Quinshon Judkins didn’t even get to sign his rookie contract before the headlines caught up with him. Over the weekend, he was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge, just weeks before Browns training camp. One moment, he was Cleveland’s second-round jewel; the next, he was facing questions about character before taking a single handoff. It’s the kind of start that puts an entire front office on edge—and that’s before you even factor in the NFL’s discipline hammer waiting in the background. The twist?
Judkins is already under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy, despite never putting pen to paper. That’s left plenty of fans scratching their heads—how can you be held to league standards when you’re not technically on the payroll? But the policy is clear: any drafted rookie or player negotiating employment is fair game. So even if Judkins hurries to sign now, it won’t erase the spotlight. If anything, a contract could trigger the league’s next steps—and make this saga even more complicated.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently made a remote appearance on 92.3 The Fan, where he talked about how Judkins’ arrest will affect his rookie season, even if he now snags his rookie deal. He used the Browns’ DT, Michael Hall Jr., as an example, who found himself in the same scenario last year. “Well, here’s the timeline with Mike Hall,” Florio started. “The incident happened on August 12. He was arrested on August 13.”
“By the 26th, he was placed on paid leave. And when you’re placed on paid leave, you stay on paid leave until the case is resolved and until the subsequent NFL personal conduct policy case is resolved.” Translation? The NFL will run its own investigation. And the moment Judkins signs his rookie deal, he’s likely headed straight to paid leave, where he could sit for weeks, maybe even months, while everything plays out.
Probably that’s why Florio observed that Judkins may need to resolve the case as soon as possible if he doesn’t want to spend his rookie season on paid leave. “That creates a very real incentive for the player to resolve the criminal case ASAP and then pivot around and take whatever punishment the NFL proposes and get back on the field,” he added. That’s what happened with Hall last year.
He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and ended up getting suspended for five games. The thing is, if a player is on paid leave, he’ll keep earning his salary. But there’s a wrinkle. Judkins wouldn’t be able to play; this status can drag on indefinitely until both the legal process and the NFL’s suspension are finished. And if Quinshon Judkins waits for his criminal case to slowly wind through the courts? Well, he might miss the whole season sitting out paid leave.
“So there’s there is strategically a reason to get this done the moment you’re put put on paid leave because if you just let the legal system play out while you’re on paid leave, you may miss the whole season because unless you have an incentive to try to get your case wrapped up and being on paid leave gives you that incentive. Yeah, this thing could just linger and linger and linger,” Florio continued.
To avoid missing too many games, Judkins needs to have a strong reason to quickly settle the legal case (like pleading to a lesser charge), so the NFL can wrap up its investigation and issue the final suspension. Taken all together, Quinshon Judkins is uncertain to show up in his rookie season. Will he? Won’t he? Too early to predict. Meanwhile, it’s the Browns’ general manager, Andrew Berry, who’s now at the center of attention. For all the bad reasons.
Is it really a make-or-break season for the Browns?
That’s the question. Entering the 2025 season, the Browns said that no one is on the verge of losing their job. On paper, it sounds good, but is it really true? The circumstances within the locker room tell a different tale. For starters, the quarterback room. It’s the most talked-about this offseason, no doubt. But with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and a couple of rookies on the roster, the Browns have a potential QB, but they don’t have a legit QB to give him the key for 17 games.
Plus, Quinshon Judkins’s arrest over the weekend just added fuel to the fire, putting GM Andrew Berry under scrutiny. The Browns had a poor season last year. That means Berry had one job: to build a talented roster that could lead the Browns to glory, especially bringing the rookie talents. But Judkins hasn’t even signed a contract extension, and he’s now subject to the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy, putting Berry under the microscope for talent evaluations.
via Imago
Zac Jackson of The Athletic recently appeared on 92.3 The Fan, where he didn’t mince words, addressing this year’s rookie class. “Without passing any judgment on what Quinshon Judkins did or didn’t do, because we don’t know, right?” He said. “Like, let’s not run from it. This rookie class being good might determine whether this front office has any chance to stay.” And let’s face it—it’s not just the rookie class and the quarterback room.
It’s part of the roster, if not the complete roster. Michael Hall Jr. was suspended last year. Judkins might get suspended this year. The Browns signed Devin Bush on a one-year contract, and he was arrested a couple of months ago. Taken all together, the Browns have a talented roster this year. But if this year’s class fails to perform, whether due to off-field issues or bad performance, Berry and the head coach, Kevin Stefanski, might face questions. Tough ones.
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