Latest news with #Browns'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Something I take very seriously': Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on Quinshon Judkins arrest
BEREA — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski didn't wait too long to address the recent arrest of second-round pick Quinshon Judkins on the first day of training camp. That response, however, was very limited in scope. "On the Quinshon Judkins situation, I don't have much to add," Stefanski said before Cleveland's first training camp practice July 23. "These are things that we take very, very, very seriously. We're gathering information. I know you guys will talk to [general manager] Andrew [Berry] tomorrow, but I don't have much to add on that situation." Berry is scheduled to hold his annual training camp news conference on July 24, prior to the Browns' second camp practice. What awaits are many of the same questions that Stefanski faced regarding the July 12 arrest of Judkins in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on a charge of "touch or strike/battery/domestic violence" after he was alleged to have hit with a closed fist a woman with whom he was traveling on July 7. Judkins was released on July 13 on a $2,500 bond and awaits the next step of the legal process in Broward County Traffic and Misdemeanor Court. His next court date had not yet been scheduled. The No. 36 overall pick in April's draft out of Ohio State is the only Browns draft pick who is also unsigned. He can't participate in training camp practices without a signed contract, but is not subjected to fines because of the lack of a contract. "I would say we're not going to comment much further, other than we're gathering information," Stefanski said when asked if he had been in contact with Judkins. Judkins was one of two Browns players who was arrested on domestic violence charges during the offseason. Veteran linebacker Devin Bush was arrested on May 4 outside of Pittsburgh on charges of simple assault and harassment. Bush's case is progressing through the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. He's scheduled to have a pretrial conference on Aug. 15. Those two arrests come on the heels of last August, when second-round pick Mike Hall Jr. was arrested in Avon on a domestic violence charge. He was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt list on Aug. 28, then served a five-game suspension to open the 2024 season after he pleaded it down to a disorderly conduct charge. "I would tell you again this is something I take very seriously, we take very seriously," Stefanski said. "It's not something that we want to be a part of. We want to be shining the light on the good things that our guys are doing in this community. "Having said that, I do know the league mandates a certain amount of education in all areas, certainly in this area, and we decide to go above and beyond that and we will continue to do that. And if there's more ways that we can reach players in any area in area of education, we'll continue to look at that." Judkins was drafted with the expectation he would eventually become the Browns' No. 1 running back, replacing the departed Nick Chubb. They also selected Dylan Sampson, a running back out of Tennessee, in the fourth round to go with returnees Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong, as well as undrafted rookie Ahmani Marshall. Stefanski wouldn't address whether the Browns need to go out an add another running back. He did acknowledge Ford would once again be the No. 1 running back to open camp, which is what he had been when Chubb was unavailable because of injuries the last two years. There's also Sampson, who was the SEC's Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. "I think Dylan Sampson's done a great job from the moment he's gotten here," Stefanski said. "He's very conscientious, very intelligent, been very impressed with what he can do in a bunch of different facets of the game. We're still going to bring him along based on how he performs. So I think you'll see again over these next four days and then into next week as we put some practices under our belt, we'll be making evaluations on all of our guys." Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns coach Kevin Stefanski addresses Quinshon Judkins arrest
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Browns GM Andrew Berry on Shedeur Sanders' speeding tickets: 'Not smart, just not smart'
BEREA — Both Browns general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski addressed the speeding tickets rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders picked up during the offseason. "Not smart, just not smart, and it's something that we've addressed with him," Berry said on the second day of Browns training camp. "He understands the implications, he understands the consequences. I think the thing is it's not just about yourself. It's not just about having a joy ride, it's not just about driving a car really fast, but it's about the fact that you can endanger other people. It's about the fact that if a deer or someone cuts out in front of you, like your reaction time. It's just dangerous and it's not something that we want our guys to be doing. It's not something that they should be doing." Sanders, who was taken in the fifth round of April's draft, was ticketed in Medina on June 5 after he was clocked going 91 mph in a 65 mph zone. He then received a ticket in Strongsville on June 17 for going 101 mph in a 60 mph zone on Interstate 71. Sanders addressed them in a social media post during David Njoku's celebrity softball game on June 19, saying, 'I've made some wrong choices. I gotta own up to them. ... I learn from them.' The rookie out of the University of Colorado, where he played for his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, is one of four quarterback competing for the Browns' starting job. The others are veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, as well as third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel. Stefanski said the matter has been addressed with Sanders. "Obviously I'll keep that message between Shadeur and myself," Stefanski said. "I will tell you he knows this and all of our rookies know this. They need to make sure that they're being safe and that can be whether they're behind the wheel of a car or they're in and around town. They need to make really good decisions so that they're safe." Berry pointed to the incident involving Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice. In March 2024, Rice was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at 119 mph on a Dallas highway when he made "aggressive maneuvers" and collided with multiple vehicles. Rice pleaded guilty to two felony charges: collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. A Dallas County judge sentenced Rice to 30 days in jail and five years of probation, as well as having to pay more than $115,000 in restitution. "The No. 1 reason is because we don't want some type of catastrophic accident," Berry said. "We saw that two years ago when — what was it? Dallas or Houston — with a player, and in that incident everybody was lucky to walk away. We don't want that occurring with anyone in our organization." Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Shedeur Sanders' speeding tickets 'not smart' says Andrew Berry
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Browns QB Baker Mayfield takes shot at former team amidst complicated QB situation
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield recently discussed his former team's quarterback situation on the podcast New Heights. The show, hosted by NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce, covered the current state of the Browns' quarterback depth chart among other topics with Mayfield. When it came time to discuss the Browns' quarterbacks, Mayfield made it clear he no longer cared about the team's direction: 'I plead the fifth. When I was healthy, I was starting to get pretty damn good there. Not my problem anymore,' said Mayfield. The Browns moved on from their 2018 first overall pick for several obvious reasons. In his fourth year with the team, Mayfield had his worst statistical season, which resulted in only six wins and a very disappointing end to the 2021 campaign. He finished his final year in Cleveland with a 63.6 PFF grade, ranking 40th among all eligible NFL quarterbacks. When it was time to decide between extending a well-known, declining quarterback or making a change, Cleveland opted to pursue other options. The end of Mayfield's time in Cleveland came with the official announcement of the Browns acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson via trade. While many fans felt this was the wrong decision, the team was not in a position to risk more time with Mayfield—especially if he was seeking a large contract extension. Instead, the Browns continued their search for a franchise quarterback.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Can Mason Graham help Myles Garrett lift DL?
It's one week from the Browns' first full-squad training camp practice on July 23, There have already been position group previews for the five offensive groups: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen. Now the previews shift to the defensive side of the ball. This preview looks at arguably the most important position group in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme. It's time to dive into the defensive line. Cleveland Browns defensive linemen Defensive ends Myles Garrett Aden Huntington* Sam Kamara Isaiah McGuire Julian Okwara Elerson G. Smith Cameron Thomas Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Alex Wright Defensive tackles Jowon Briggs Maliek Collins Mason Graham* Mike Hall Jr. Shelby Harris Ralph Holley (* — denotes rookie) Into the numbers: Cleveland Browns DL Garrett hold five of the top six single-season sacks totals, including back-to-back franchise record 16 sacks in 2021-22. The only non-Garrett season in that group was Reggie Camp's 14-sack 1984, which is tied with Garrett's 2023-23 seasons for third all-time. The Browns' defensive line holdovers from 2024 not named Garrett combined for seven sacks last season. The highest total was 2.5 by McGuire, while Harris had 1.5 sacks. Hall, Thomas and Wright each had one. Tryon-Shoyinka, a 2021 first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has 15 career sacks. His single-season high is five, which he did in 2023. McGuire, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Missouri, was third on the Browns in pressures in 2024 with 29. He had 21 hurries, which was tied for second on the team. Graham played in a defensive scheme at Michigan that required the tackles to occupy blockers more than attack the quarterback. Still, he finished with nine career sacks and 17 tackles for loss in three seasons. What they're saying: Cleveland Browns DL Schwartz on Garrett's contract extension and the motivation it provides, on June 4: "I really think Myles is going to have the best season of his career and has to, right? You know, I mean, and I've told him before…what's that Spider Man quote? 'With great power comes great responsibility,' right? That's with the big contract, with the notoriety that came along with that, you know, with the process that took to get him to that point. There's always pressure in this league, but probably a little bit more so. And I think that, that brings out the best in players, and I know that'll be the case with Myles.' Garrett on Schwartz's comments about having his "best season," on June 10: 'With great power comes great responsibility? So that would make him my Uncle Ben, right? I mean, I look forward to having my best season for sure and I think it's trending that way. It's been really good and I think everything's pulling in that direction and I like where we are as a defensive unit. It's really firing, really rolling and I think it's really clicking as far as the scheme and the plays, especially early on. That's big.' Graham on adjusting to Browns' aggressive defensive scheme, on May 9: "Yeah, I mean Coach Jac [defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire] always talks about taking the handcuffs off. I feel like maybe in the scheme I was playing in before, I might've had handcuffs off, moving more laterally. But I feel like Coach Jac and Coach Morris [assistant defensive line coach Adam Morris], this attacking front will help me and unleash some new things in my game and I feel like I can be a great player in the scheme." Cesaire on Wright's progress, on June 12: "I mean, he's just a tough physical defensive end that knows how to rush the passer with physicality, and I just like how he sets the edge. He has some position flex where he can play inside and give us a good rush, play outside and give us a good rush. And the guy's just a hard worker, just another hungry, fast physical guy that we need on this defensive line." Schwartz on Hall coming into his second season, on June 4: 'Just like any players — I would say this, you know, we talked about [safety] Ronnie [Hickman]. It should all come together in year three. But I do think the biggest improvement you see from players is year one to year two. You see rookies here, they don't — everything is new to them. Standing in front of you guys, everything they do is new. And the second year they come back, they know what to expect. And I think you see the most improvement. We need that from Mike this year. He's been set back with an injury, but he's been working extremely hard to come back from it. And we're real hopeful to get him back on the field.' Training camp analysis: Cleveland Browns DL There's nothing wrong with starting with arguably the best pass rusher in the NFL, especially one who says he's motivated to have his best season yet like Garrett has said after signing his new contract extension. The Browns are hoping Graham, the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, can help take some of the pressure off Garrett by providing his own pressure from the interior. It's not just Graham, though. They're banking on Hall, their 2024 second-round pick, to get healthy from a offseason knee surgery and be the additional pass rush from the inside who can also be part of a younger core going forward. The same holds true with McGuire and Wright, a 2022 third-round pick, at the end spot opposite Garrett. The Browns brought in Tryon-Shoyinka in the hopes of catching a bounce-back season from a former first-round pick in the same way they did with wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in 2024. Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns 2025 camp position preview: Can rookie, Myles Garrett lift DL?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Young RBs take baton from departed Nick Chubb
This story has been updated to include mention of Quinshon Judkins' July 12 arrest on a domestic violence charge. The start of Browns training camp comes on July 18 when the rookies report to Berea. The veterans will arrive on July 22, one day before the first full-squad practice. That means it's time to dive into the Browns' position groups as they stand at this point heading into training camp. On July 11, it was the quarterbacks who were previewed. Now, it's time to look at the running backs which, for the first time since 2017, won't include Nick Chubb. So who's here? Let's take a look. Cleveland Browns running backs Jerome Ford Troy Hairston (fullback) Quinshon Judkins* Ahmani Marshall* Dylan Sampson* Pierre Strong Jr. (* — denotes rookie) Into the numbers: Cleveland Browns RBs Nick Chubb departed as a free agent to the Houston Texans after having climbed to No. 3 on the Browns all-time rushing list with 6,843 yards in 85 career games. However, a 2023 knee injury and a 2024 foot injury, both season-ending, limited him to just 503 yards and three touchdowns on 130 carries over the final 10 games of his Cleveland career. Ford became the Browns' primary running back over the last two seasons in Chubb's absence. He rushed for 1,372 combined yards and scored seven touchdowns on 308 carries in those two seasons, with another 81 receptions for 544 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Judkins was selected in the second round with the No. 36 overall pick out of Ohio State, where he rushed for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns on 194 yards. That came after running for a combined 2,725 yards and 31 touchdowns on 545 carries over two seasons at Ole Miss. Sampson, the No. 126 overall pick in the fourth round of April's draft out of Tennessee, led the SEC in rushing and was its Offensive Player of the Year with 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns on 258 carries. He had 164 combined carries over his first two seasons with the Volunteers. Strong's next carry will be the 100th of his NFL career, which started in 2022 with the New England Patriots. He's also one yard shy of 500 career rushing yards. What they're saying: Cleveland Browns RBs Browns running backs coach Duce Staley on Ford and Strong, from June 12: "He fits in great, without a doubt. I mean, Jerome has definitely a great skillset, of course, you know about his speed. He's able to pick up the blitz and catch the ball. So I'm excited to see Pierre. Pierre has been working his ass off, came back in great shape, so I'm excited to see all four of them go at it." Judkins on replacing Chubb, from May 9: 'Nick Chubb is a great running back. He's done a lot of great things here. I'm excited to come in and do what I can, and me and Dylan both contributing to the team. Start my own legacy. I think the coaches [are going to] put me in a great position to do that.' Sampson on what he and Judkins can do for Browns, from May 9: "Yeah, if we all go out here and handle business throughout training camp and there's also some guys who've been here, so it's a competition all over. But I think this is the blueprint of the league, the best way it works with running backs. It's a long season so you want as many people as you can to go in there and split reps and do good for the team. That keeps everybody fresh. You see it all across the league, and I think we have an opportunity to do that here." Training camp analysis: Cleveland Browns RBs The July 12 arrest of Judkins in Broward County, Fla., on a domestic violence charge creates another major question mark for the Browns in terms of his availability pending the legal process and/or any league-issued discipline. As for on the field, the departure of Chubb was an emotional one, not just for the fans but also his now-former Browns teammates. However, the drafting of Judkins and Sampson not only signaled the team was going to be going away from the star running back, but also a recommitment to the power run scheme that was a Kevin Stefanski specialty when he arrived as head coach in 2020. Specifically, it's the wide-zone run scheme popularized by Mike Shanahan and Gary Kubiak with the Denver Broncos in the 1990s. Although the focus has been on the two draft picks, Ford and Strong provide some NFL experience for the position, especially Ford, and will also be part of the equation. Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@ Read more about the Browns at Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns 2025 camp position preview: Nck Chubb gone, young RBs now in
