It has only been a little more than nine months since Cleveland Browns star running back Quinshon Judkins suffered a devastating injury late in the first half of the team’s Week 16 game against Buffalo, a moment that saw him suffer a dislocated right ankle and fractured fibula to go with it. He had surgery on both, and though his season had ended early, the good news was that the recovery time was expected to be four-to-six months, leaving enough time to get him healthy in the spring and summer, and have him ready for Week 1.
He was, indeed, ready for the NFL season opener. The problem, though, is that Judkins has not looked like the same guy he was last year, when he put up 827 yards in 14 games. Judkins currently has 54 yards on 24 attempts through two games, and the Browns rank 31st with 131 yards rushing to date.
There are any number of reasons why–the rebuilt offensive line is still getting itself together, the Browns have been trailing and needing to pass–but one that remains a lingering concern is this: Maybe Judkins is still injured.
Browns OC: ‘He Looked Healthy’
That question was put to Browns offensive coordinator Travis Switzer this week, and while Switzer could not say for sure that Judkins was fully back to being himself, he did say that the injury has not been a topic.
Asked if Judkins is 100% back, Switzer said: “I think so. I think he looked healthy even to me in the spring. When I first saw him live, I was like, man, this guy can go. And it’s just continuing to get familiar, I think, with the things that we’re doing. And kind of like Deshaun, we’ve been encouraging him to let it rip, as a runner, in some ways.
“And I did think there were flashes of that last week that were really encouraging, and we’re excited. And like I said, we trust in him as we do in all of our players, and that’s why we encourage them to go let it rip, man. Go be you and go play.”
Quinshon Judkins Has Said He is 100%
Judkins missed practice time this week for the Browns ahead of their Sunday game against the Panthers, who currently have the worst run-stopping defense in the NFL. But the missed practice was for “personal reasons” not for an injury. Judkins himself has been upbeat about the state of his ankle, even if the results are not there yet.
As he said, “I feel good. I’m just cleaning everything up, sharpening my tools and getting to where I want to be based on the goals I set at the beginning of the season and when I finished rehab. I think that’s exactly where I’m at right now. My ankle feels good. It feels strong.”
Browns Coach Addresses Quinshon Judkins Injury Concern