Browns' Deshaun Watson isn't looking for more targeted QB run plays

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Browns' new-look offense is off to a slow start through three games, but quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn't believe greater use of his legs is the key to getting the offense off the ground.

When asked Wednesday if he wanted more draft runs, Watson responded that he's “not a running back.”

“I’m not going to go in there and ask them for more scheduled runs. … If I don’t have to run, I won’t run,” Watson said. “I’m not trying to take any punches. … In a sense, I'm not a running quarterback. I can make things happen, but I try not to run.”

“I’m not a running back. That's not my specialty. They signed me up to throw the ball, make decisions and be a quarterback, not a runner.”

Through three games, the Browns are 24th in the NFL with an average of 95.7 per game. According to ESPN Research, the Browns' offense is averaging 3.8 yards per game, the second-worst in the NFL and the franchise's third-worst through the first three games of a season since returning to Cleveland in 1999.

Watson posted the second-lowest QBR in the NFL among qualified passers, behind only Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.

During his time with the Houston Texans from 2017 to 2021, Watson ranked sixth among all quarterbacks with 1,677 rushing yards. However, according to ESPN Research, only 405 of Houston's 1,677 rushing yards came on designed runs. Watson has three designed runs this season, which ranks him 13th among quarterbacks.

“I’m not saying it doesn’t help the offense just in a running game,” he said. “But after (shoulder surgery), I don’t think it’s a top priority for (coach Kevin Stefanski) to put me in that situation.”

Watson added that if Stefanski were injured during a scheduled run, he would likely face more scrutiny, describing it as “quite frankly, a lose-lose situation.”