Browns sign Judkins to guaranteed four-year deal, not active Week 1

The Cleveland Browns and rookie running back Quinshon Judkins reached agreement on a four year, fully guaranteed contract Saturday, ending a prolonged offseason standoff, but Judkins will not be available for the team’s season opener Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals as he finishes the process of getting up to speed and while the NFL’s review of his off‑field conduct continues, team officials said.

Cleveland confirmed the signing ahead of the opener, completing the club’s 2025 draft class. The deal is worth roughly $11.4 million, a source close to the negotiations said. Judkins, the No. 36 overall pick out of Ohio State, missed all of training camp and the preseason amid a contract holdout and an investigation after his July 12 arrest on a misdemeanor domestic battery allegation in Florida. Prosecutors later declined to file charges following a review of evidence, but the league’s personal conduct investigation remains open.

The Browns obtained a standard two‑week roster exemption, which will allow Judkins to practice with the team while not counting against the active roster or being eligible to play until the exemption expires, a team official said. That timeline makes it...