Browns' rookie RB Quinshon Judkins makes decision on return to college football

Billy Heyen

Browns' rookie RB Quinshon Judkins makes decision on return to college football image

Quinshon Judkins still hasn't signed his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns as the NFL investigates him under their personal conduct policy.

It has raised a wild idea: What if Judkins could return to college football and re-enter the draft?

It's an idea suggested by Pro Football Talk's founder, Mike Florio, who also wondered if Shedeur Sanders would consider it amid his NFL Draft free fall.

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot has confirmed to Florio, though, that Judkins isn't considering a return to the NCAA stage.

"Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported that Judkins is not considering that possibility," Florio wrote after being joined by Cabot on his PFT Live video episode. "And it is just a possibility. Yes, current NCAA rules prevent it. At a time when so many NCAA rules are antitrust violations hiding in plain sight, a legal challenge could prevail. And Judkins could return to finish out the college football season, making much more money there than he’s making in the NFL."

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Cabot also provided an update on Judkins' signing status in general.

"She said the reason for his status as unsigned still isn’t clear," Florio writes. "His slot, based on other signings, now calls for a fully-guaranteed contract. The Browns could, in theory, be trying to push back against that new phenomenon as it relates to Judkins."

There's also the matter of the ongoing investigation.

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"Another potential sticking point could be the default language that wipes out guarantees," Florio writes. "Since both sides know about the thing that could result in a Judkins suspension — and since a suspension usually voids all remaining guarantees — Judkins may be trying to get the Browns to exempt the pre-existing incident from the default clause. And the Browns might be unwilling to do that."

The season is just around the corner. At this point, it's not clear when Judkins may join the fray.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle