The Cleveland Browns open their season on Sunday, but one of the major questions surrounding the team involves Quinshon Judkins, who has faced a fair share of legal trouble throughout the summer. Because of these ongoing legal issues, there has been no progress toward a contract, as the NFL continues its investigation.
“Despite that development, contract negotiations have not moved forward. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Browns and Judkins have not yet reached an agreement because the NFL is conducting its own investigation,” PFSN’s Abhimanyu Chaudhary wrote.
Speculation has circulated that Judkins might return to college football, given that he hasn’t signed an NFL contract. Some believe he could exploit a legal loophole to do so. However, recent reports suggest that he isn’t considering that option.
“Regardless, there’s still no contract. Even though Judkins could try to go back to college football and return to the NFL next year (the Browns would still hold his contract rights), he’s reportedly not considering what recent developments in court have made into a viable possibility for any player who doesn’t want to sign his rookie contract,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote.
There was some hope that a deal could be reached before the season opener, but that now appears unlikely. According to ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Rossi, a suspension from the NFLPA could be imminent.
“I think there is a zero percent chance. I do think he’s going to be suspended otherwise this case would have been done by now. The NFLPA is trying to negotiate a reduced suspension… 2-4 games,” Rossi said on the air.
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This is certainly not how Judkins envisioned starting his professional career. Once the legal matters and potential suspension are resolved, he can finally shift his focus back to football. Judkins was a dominant force at Ohio State and hopes to replicate that success in Cleveland. For now, though, he continues to await word on his suspension.