

The Cleveland Browns are confronting a wave of uncertainty at running back, just as the preseason heats up and expectations for a new-look offense soar.
With highly touted rookie Quinshon Judkins embroiled in legal trouble and unable to report to training camp, the franchise has been forced to rethink its depth chart on the fly, ushering in newcomer Toa Taua amid a swirl of unanswered questions.
Judkins, Cleveland’s second-round pick and once considered a future cornerstone of the offense, remains sidelined by domestic abuse charges stemming from an offseason arrest in Miami.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry has remained guarded about Judkins’ future, only noting, “We’re going to obviously deal with that situation on a day-to-day basis as appropriate, but our focus will really be on preparing the team for our opener against Cincinnati in September.”
Taua, who arrives after a productive stint with the Michigan Panthers in the UFL, carries a resume that includes nearly 4,000 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns during his time at Nevada.
His NFL shot comes at a critical moment for the Browns, who are still reeling from the departure of Nick Chubb to the Houston Texans and must quickly identify a new featured back.
Browns adjust to Judkins’ absence
The urgency to reinforce the running game has never been higher for Cleveland. With the AFC North looking more competitive than ever and the quarterback battle still unresolved, the team needs a reliable ground attack to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Quarterbacks Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders are all competing for the top job, but their success will depend heavily on the stability of the backfield.
That means Taua, Jerome Ford, and Pierre Strong Jr. will be under close scrutiny as preseason action ramps up.
Insiders note that the team’s patience with Judkins stems from his high draft position and talent ceiling.
As Browns beatwriter on Cleveland.com Mary Kay Cabot explained: “If this were a sixth-round pick, chances are they would not be giving him this second opportunity, or the leash would be extremely short after that.”
But with Judkins‘ future hanging in the balance, the Browns have little choice but to test new combinations and hope for a breakthrough.
Berry has remained measured in his comments, emphasizing a day-to-day approach to roster management as the situation evolves.
“I have learned in many of these off-field situations not to go too far into the future… We’ll deal with the day-to-day,” he said.
Now, as the Browns head deeper into camp, the spotlight turns to Taua, who hopes to seize his unexpected opportunity and prove he belongs in the league.
With the season opener against the Bengals drawing closer, Cleveland’s hopes of revamping its ground game rest on how quickly the new-look backfield can settle in, and whether Judkins’ situation takes a dramatic turn before September.
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