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Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs with the ball against Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Winston Jr. (23) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Why Quinshon Judkins' rookie momentum has stalled with Browns

Originally posted on Cleveland Browns on SI
By Cade Cracas | Last updated Dec 15, 2025 10:54 AM ET

The future looked bright when Quinshon Judkins returned to the football field back in September.

After being held out for a good chunk of the offseason, all of preseason and the first few regular-season games due to off-the-field issues, Judkins was activated for his first NFL game back on Sept. 14.

Against the Ravens, he was able to add fluidity to the Browns' offense as he rushed for 61 yards on 10 carries. He then went on to have two multi-touchdown games and over 75 yards in five games. He looked destined to become one of the top running backs in the rookie class, especially if he continued to develop at a high rate.

But, over the past two weeks, that rookie momentum has sputtered.

In losses to the Tennessee Titans, 31-29, and the Chicago Bears, 31-3, Judkins has totaled a measly 47 yards on 26 rushing attempts for an average of 1.8 yards per carry. He recorded a long of four yards against the Bears and 14 against the Titans.

Both are some of his lowest marks on the season.

His promising first year in the league is hitting a wall, but it's not necessarily his fault. His production level is a direct result of the Browns having one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Just weeks ago, he was on pace to rush for over 1,000 yards on the season, but has not dropped to a projection closer to the high 900's.

Shedeur Sanders isn’t the only one suffering behind the worst offensive line in football.

Quinshon Judkins has seen his promising rookie season get flushed down the toilet. Now at 3.6 YPC for the season, Judkins is tied with Trent Richardson for the 2nd-lowest YPC in a season… pic.twitter.com/HCVVO2h6Uu
— The Dawgs - A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) December 15, 2025

Heading into Week 15, the Browns statistically had the second-worst grading in the NFL, ahead of just the Arizona Cardinals. After this weekend's performance, which opened up zero rushing lanes and allowed five sacks to rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, there should be no doubt that the ranking will remain at the bottom of the totem pole.

The frustrating thing for a player like Judkins is that with a good offensive line, he could easily be in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year, but instead, he's being looked at like a potential bust.

He currently has 222 carries on the season for 805 yards and seven touchdowns. In the receiving game, he's gotten an uptick as the year's gone forward, but not enough to say it's been impactful. He's hauled in 21 catches for 142 yards and zero scores.

The tough reality to swallow is that with the lackluster offensive line and coaching blunders, Judkins' ceiling is dropping by the game. Rookies rely heavily on confidence and momentum, especially as they approach their first offseason, and not being able to have either may end up holding the former Ohio State running back down.

In comparison, the other former Buckeye to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, TreVeyon Henderson, is having an incredible season. In Week 15, he had a pair of 50-plus yard touchdowns, clocking it at over 20 mph on each run. On the season, he's at 773 yards and seven touchdowns on 143 rushes, for an average of 5.4 yards per carry. In the receiving game, he's caught 34 balls for 212 yards and one touchdown.

While Henderson is starting to take back the spotlight from Judkins, Cleveland has to focus on building up a better offensive line for both Judkins and Sanders.

If not, then the two's room for growth and success will be drastically limited.

For now, the Browns look to the Buffalo Bills who they will welcome to Huntington Bank Field on Sunday, Dec. 21, with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m. EST.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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