The Cleveland Browns came into the season with the expectation that the passing game would be a work in progress and that the running game, behind second-year back Quinshon Judkins, would be the reliable baseline of the offense. But five games has shown that’s not quite the case, as every aspect of Cleveland’s ground attack remains weak and concerning. The game plans have been easily abandoned. The blocking has not been great.
And Judkins, a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, himself is struggling.
He was in a walking boot on Sunday after the 17-12 loss to the Jets on the road, not a good sign for a player who had surgery to repair a tough injury to his ankle and fibula last season. Judkins had just 44 yards on 14 carries on Sunday, and though the Browns were playing in sloppy, rainy conditions, the rushing attack was still unimpressive. The Browns tallied just 96 yards on the ground on Sunday, 40 coming from quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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While there has been speculation about what, exactly, is going on with the Browns’ disappointing attack, more and more, the finger of blame is pointing toward Judkins.
Chris Oldach of ESPN Cleveland noted on the air, that it might be time to give Raheim Sanders more of a look. He said: “I think it is a fair thing to start scratching the surface of. When I see Raheim Sanders run, there is more oomph behind it than when I see Quinshon Judkins run. Might not result in more yardage right now.”
Sanders has nine carries for 43 yards this season. If Judkins’ injury goes into next week, he will certainly see the field more.
‘Quinshon Judkins Has Not Been Good’
Daryl Ruiter, Browns reporter for 92.3 The Fan, acknowledged there are other failing aspects in the Browns’ rushing game, but did start with Judkins as the problem.
As he said: “Quinshon Judkins has not been good early in the season. He is averaging around 3.0 yards per carry, which is like kind of like the average, so he has been average. But I feel like he’s an above average player, so that’s why I point to him a little bit. This has been five games of this now, too. This isn’t, ‘Oh, it’s one or two games.’ No, we’re five games into the season and the Cleveland Browns cannot run the football.
“I don’t know if it is that the offensive line is new and they’re still getting used to each other, I don’t if the running backs are not hitting the right lanes they’re supposed to.”
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