Why Quinshon Judkins is the key to reviving Cleveland Browns offense

It's no secret that the Browns' offense has been below par this season, but this is why Quinshon Judkins is going to be the guy to turn it around in Cleveland.

Sep 14, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith (0) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

There’s no doubt that Quinshon Judkins was a workhorse running back in college at Ohio State and Ole Miss. Cleveland's rookie went for 3,785 rushing yards on 739 carries throughout his college career, going for 5.1 yards per carry.

Judkins had a solid NFL debut, racking up 61 yards on 10 carries in a blowout loss to the Ravens. A true threat to run between the tackles, Judkins can be the perfect Nick Chubb-style back to revive Cleveland's play-action offense.

In 2023, Browns fans saw the epitome of a Kevin Stefanski offense with Joe Flacco at quarterback. Going 11-6, the Browns were a sleeper team that relied on the run game and defense to win games. Flacco revived his career, largely due to the offense he was brought into. Joe Flacco was graded with a 90.2 PFF grade on play-action passes in 2023, showing that the veteran quarterback can still sling the rock. 

Fast forward to 2025, the Browns have run play-action passes on 18 percent of their passing plays this season, compared to 30.1% in 2023. So the question is, why has head coach Kevin Stefanski steered away from his bread and butter?

The answer is the run game. Stefanski uses the running game to set up his whole offense. If the run game is struggling, the offense as a whole is likely to struggle.

The Browns want to play complimentary football under Kevin Stefanski by running the ball well.

But the Browns don't run the ball well... or frequently.

How do we fix this? 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/4vxDgVkCS2

— Honor The Land (@honortheland) September 19, 2025

However, Judkins can be the player to put a spark into this offense. The Browns’ second-round pick was inactive for the first game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals, and got to see a scarce amount of touches against the Ravens due to the score. 

Judkins is a great runner between the tackles and can get first and second down yardage at ease. Because of the yardage he can pick up on early downs, this opens Stefanski’s playbook immensely. When linebackers and safeties respect the interior run, they’re less likely to cheat up, which keeps them from easily sniffing out play-action fakes.

Dylan Sampson has solidified himself as the receiving back, but don’t sleep on Judkins’ receiving ability. He has shown he can catch the ball and be a threat in short routes or screens. His ability adds another layer that defenses have to focus on, constantly having to account for him on screens or in the flat. 

It’s obvious that the Browns have struggled to start the season. Their very slow and unappealing offense has gotten them nowhere so far.

The Browns need Stefanski to return to what he does best and achieve success in the run game, which will open up play-action opportunities. If the offensive line can stay healthy, Judkins will be able to help this offense more and more as he develops, and we will start to see success this season.