The Cleveland Browns had high hopes for Quinshon Judkins.
He can still be a star for this team, but he might not be that big of a factor early on this season.
Following his arrest on a domestic violence and battery charge, things may have changed for the Ohio State product.
As reported by Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, he could be looking at one-third of the season in street clothes and without pay.
In her latest article, she claimed that the league’s Personal Conduct Policy establishes a six-game suspension without pay for first-time offenders:
“Per the NFL’s policy, a six-game suspension without pay is the standard for a first violation involving physical force, but it can be adjusted based on mitigating or aggravating factors. A second offense results in a lifetime banishment from the league, but a player can petition for reinstatement after a year. Regardless of how the legal process plays out, the NFL can still suspend Judkins if it determines that physical force or battery occurred,” Cabot wrote.
Of course, that’s a huge blow to Kevin Stefanski’s plans for the offense and for the team as a whole.
While he hadn’t officially been named the starter, Judkins was projected to lead the way right out of the gate, with fellow rookie Dylan Sampson operating as the change-of-pace, third-down running back.
Now, the Browns will most likely have to revert to Jerome Ford to be their primary ball-carrier.
Judkins could still be back on the field for the most crucial stretch of the season, but it’s never ideal for first-year players to miss valuable reps.
On top of that, this will raise some questions about his character and put a big cloud over his head.
Judkins made a huge mistake, and it could turn out to be a costly one.
The Browns can’t afford any more distractions, and hopefully, this will be the last off-the-field incident we have to talk about this season.
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