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Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins is a fan of Shedeur Sanders being QB1.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders may not have been named the starter yet, but he has the backing of a key piece of the offense heading into the offseason.
That support is coming from running back Quinshon Judkins, who spoke highly of Sanders’ presence, work ethic and leadership as the two prepare for Year 2. The pair arrived in Cleveland together as rookies last season and quickly built chemistry on and off the field.
“It’s fun. Shedeur is a great talent and has a good personality. He’s fun to be around,” Judkins told The Arena: Gridiron. “Me and him are very attentive to detail in practice. We spend a lot of time outside the building. Me and him are cool.”
Judkins’ endorsement carries weight. The Browns selected him early in the second round and view him as a long-term piece in the offense, with expectations that he’ll serve as the featured back moving forward. Having that level of buy-in from a cornerstone offensive player is a meaningful boost for Sanders as he tries to solidify himself as QB1.
“To be the QB1 of any team, you have to have that locker room and have a voice,” Judkins said. “A lot of the guys believe in him. Just having that relationship with each other means a lot.”
Judkins finished last season with 827 yards on 230 carries with eight touchdowns. His season ended early due to a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula. However, Judkins is expected to be ready for the start of the offseason program.
Browns Decline to Anoit Shedeur Sanders as Starter
Sanders started the final seven games of the season. He went 3-4 in those games, passing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Sanders appears to be the favorite to open the season as the starter, but new head coach Todd Monken feels it’s too early to make a call.
“Well, I think like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined,” Monken said. “Am I excited about Shedeur? Am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room? Am I excited to coach this football team? Absolutely. I can’t wait for them to get back and for us to get started.”
It’s unknown at this point if Monken will name a starting quarterback before camp or if he’ll have Sanders battle it out with Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel and whoever else the Browns may add.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders Confident After Rookie Campaign
Sanders fell to the fifth round in the draft, but he made the most of his opportunity as the starter. There were very defined highs and lows but Sanders is confident that he can produce at an elite level in the NFL.
“You can see it. It’s kind of like mastering how to get to that place all the time,” Sanders said on the Up & Adams show. “You have flashes. That’s the most thing I appreciate about this year is that I proved to myself, I’m able to dominate the league. I’m able to take completions, I’m able to put all of that together, and definitely in games, we have flashes, but I know I’m capable of doing that. Now, to do it on a consistent basis, that’s what the goal is. For me in this past season, that’s what proved to myself. No matter what happened, no matter anything that transpired, you are able to go out there and compete.”
Sanders’ breakout performance of his rookie campaign came in his third career start against the Tennessee Titans. He threw for 364 yards, added 64 rushing yards, and accounted for four total touchdowns.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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