Content warning: This article contains depictions of alleged domestic violence.
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters Tuesday that he's "cautiously optimistic" running back Quinshon Judkins will eventually sign and play for the team, but he noted that he's letting due process play out and called the Browns' repeated connection to domestic-abuse allegations "extremely frustrating."
"I think whenever you're not successful, you've got to take a step back and say, 'What can we do better?'" Haslam said, with his wife and fellow team owner Dee at his side.
"If you would have asked me a month ago, I would have said, 'No, we're all over it.' We talk about it continually. We've had outside speakers, inside speakers. We talk about it a lot. But clearly we need to look to see what else we can do. It's not acceptable."
Three Browns players have been arrested on domestic-violence charges in the last year, including Judkins, a 21-year-old running back the Browns selected No. 36 overall out of Ohio State this spring to help replace Nick Chubb. Linebacker Devin Bush's case is still ongoing, and defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. was suspended five games of his rookie season last year for a domestic incident involving his fiancee.
The Browns are still dealing with the financial investment and reputational damage that came from acquiring quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was ultimately suspended 11 games by the NFL and fined $5 million after being accused of sexual misconduct by more than 24 massage therapists.
Haslam was asked Tuesday if the team's history of domestic-abuse allegations reflects on the organization's player vetting process.
"That's a question I ask," Haslam said. "Let's go back and look at Quinshon, let's look at Devin, let's look at Michael Hall. And, to the best of my knowledge — we talked about this yesterday with [general manager] Andrew [Berry] — there was nothing in any of their backgrounds that showed anything like this."
As reported by Cleveland.com, the Browns brought in speakers to address the issue of domestic abuse the past two minicamps, including the mother of five-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Sabrina Greenlee, a domestic abuse survivor.
Cleveland.com also reported last week that the Browns told Judkins to focus on his legal situation rather than report to training camp.
Judkins was one of 30 second-round picks who remained unsigned months after this year's draft while searching for guaranteed money in the wake of the unprecedented fully guaranteed, second-round deals inked by former Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins and former UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
Judkins was arrested July 12 after he allegedly punched a woman in the chin/lip area, arm and thigh, following their deplaning of a flight at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Because the woman "felt bad due to the recent success and career of the defendant," she reported the alleged assault five days after it allegedly happened, per the police report. The woman reportedly still had bruising in the areas where she claimed Judkins hit her.
"We're still in really the information-gathering stage with [Quinshon]," GM Andrew Berry told reporters last week. "That, and given the fact that he's still in an active legal situation, there's not much that I can comment specifically on his case at this point. But as we get to the point where we have enough information to determine the next steps, we will certainly do so."
Berry then added: "Look, we don't want to be up here on Day 1 [of training camp] talking about this. Our players don't. Our coaches don't. Our fans certainly don't. Shoot, I don't think [you reporters] do. And, so, 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."
Berry said last week it was "honestly probably too early" to make a call on Judkins signing with the team and reporting to camp.
Haslam said Tuesday he's "cautiously optimistic" Judkins will in fact play for the Browns. But he emphasized the Browns' continued need to steer clear of these situations.
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