Browns Give Update on Quinshon Judkins Injury Before Week 10
Heading into the bye week here in Week 9 in the NFL, the Browns certainly had plenty of concerns and questions to answer after a flimsy 2-6 start has left them in an especially disappointing position heading into the second half of the season. But one of the concerns centered on the team’s brightest offensive spot of the first eight weeks of the season: rookie running back Quinshon Judkins.
After a red-hot start to his NFL career, in which the second-round pick averaged 77.8 yards per game rushing, he was stifled against the Patriots in the Week 8 loss leading into the bye, going for just 19 yards on nine carries. Worse, he played only 18 snaps–about half his usual output–because of a shoulder injury.
The team was vague about the injury, but left it as a day-to-day issue heading into the bye. On Monday, Judkins was at practice, and coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about his condition and whether he felt confident about Judkins’ health. “I do. I feel good about it,” he said.
Quinshon Judkins Ready for a Big Week 10?
The good news for the Browns coming out of the bye, of course, is that the schedule looks bright in Week 10. Cleveland is badly in need of a win, and though they’ve got to hit the road, the 1-7 Jets await. The Jets are also coming off their bye week, which was accompanied by their first win of the season, a 39-38 shocker over Cincinnati in which they scored 23 points in the fourth quarter.
Things toughen from there, but getting themselves to 3-6 would be a good start for the Browns. Judkins could be in for a big day, too–the Jets rank 26th in the NFL in rush yards allowed.
“As you know, it’s important that we focus on what’s in front of us,” Stefanski said. “Have a great opportunity this week, going to New York, and trying to play our best football. We have not played our best football, and that’s haven’t done it, as players, as coaches, offense, defense, special teams. We feel like there’s more for us to give, and that’s where we’re focused on.”
Browns Getting Cedric Tillman Back
The Browns have some other potentially good news on the horizon, too, as the team opened the practice window on receiver Cedric Tillman, who has been on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The team’s receiving crew has struggled, though that may well be more of a function of the struggles of rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Tillman could return within the next three weeks.
The Browns could potentially trade for a receiver at Tuesday’s NFL deadline, but Stefanski said the team has enough at the receiver position when healthy.
“I like our guys,” he said. :I like the skill sets we have with that group. Obviously, Andrew (Berry) and our personnel department looks at everything and that’s no different than the other 31 teams. I think it’s important that you’re constantly looking around the league, but I like our guys.”
John Spytek Has Strong Words for Jakobi Meyers Following Trade Request
Things were going smoothly for new Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek early in the offseason, but he’s had to deal with some drama in recent weeks. First, he had to make the tough decision to cut star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, and now he has to deal with another issue.
Starting wide receiver Jakobi Meyers requested a trade from the team after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension. This will be another test for Spytek, but for now, he decided to praise the wide receiver despite the trade request.
“Jakobi is a consummate professional,” Spytek told reporters on Wednesday. “Jakobi and I have had a lot of great conversations since I’ve gotten here about many different things, and I’m excited that he’s here and he’s a Raider. And he’s on the field working hard today, and I have not seen him do anything but that since I’ve been here. He’s a professional. I think he really values being a Raider; he has a lot of respect for this game, and I think he only knows how to go about one way, which is to give his best when he’s out there.”
Spytek Addresses Amari Cooper Signing
With Meyers possibly on his way out, the Raiders signed former first-round pick Amari Cooper. Spytek wasn’t with the Raiders when they drafted him, but he was happy to bring him to the team.
“[H]is ability to make unique catches is something that’s always stood out for me,” Spytek said of Cooper. “And whether or not you’re the fastest guy in the world or you’re not the fastest guy in the world, you’re going to have to make contested catches at this level. And he’s always been able to do that, and he had many of those last year. … We have a plan for him to bring him along, and that plan will more than likely include him being a big part of the game plan in New England in 10 days, or whatever it is from now.”
Spytek Talks First Offseason as a GM
Spytek has a lot of experience working in NFL front offices, but this is the first time he can call the shots. Roster cut down day is a brutal day for any general manager, but he was confident he could handle making difficult decisions.
“I wanted this job for a lot of different reasons, but it’s because I’m not afraid to make tough and critical decisions, and I don’t think that I’m going to get them all right,” Spytek said. “I’ve lived through getting things wrong, and the older you get, I think you all realize you get things wrong but that you’ll be okay. But to make tough choices with conviction and then be self critical and open minded and aware enough to realize, like I got this one right, and this is why I got it right, and this one wrong, and this is why I got it wrong.
“And I’m sure we got some wrong over the past month, and we’ll see, but I can promise you, I’ll learn from those and I’ll only get better because of that.”
