The Browns enter Week 4 in a tough spot.
They're struggling mightily offensively, ranking in the bottom third in the NFL in total yards, rushing yards, passing yards and points per game. Quarterback Deshaun Watson has had a rough time through three games, and Cleveland is searching for answers as they prepare to venture west to face the Las Vegas Raiders.
One option offered to the Browns: Run with Watson more often. The quarterback, however, is not on board with this idea.
"I'm not going in there to ask them for more designed runs. ... If I don't have to run, I'm not going to run," Watson said Wednesday, via ESPN. "I'm not trying to take any hits. ... I'm not a running quarterback, in a sense. I can make things happen, but I'm not trying to run.
"I'm not a running back. It's not my specialty. They signed me to throw the ball, make decisions and be a quarterback, not a runner."
Cleveland's offense is bad -- 31st in total yards bad -- and Watson's performance has been even worse. Among quarterbacks to start all three games this season, Watson ranks last in passing yards per attempt (4.8), yards per dropback (3.8), success rate (31.9 percent) and sacks taken (16). Inexplicably -- considering the Browns have been in close games in two of their three contests -- Watson has dropped back to pass more than any quarterback in the NFL, leading the league with 141.
Instead of taking the pressure off the quarterback, the Browns have disproportionately relied on Watson, a quarterback who owns the second-worst completion percentage (59.3 percent) among passers with 450-plus attempts since 2022. It certainly doesn't help that Watson doesn't have running back Nick Chubb at his disposal, but Cleveland doesn't run the ball with much intention, either, attempting 66 rushes in three games versus the opposition's 78 carries.
As Watson said Wednesday, he's not interested in carrying that part of the offense, too. When he has been forced to run, it's usually amid intense pressure allowed by a patchwork Browns offensive line that has failed to protect him consistently -- Cleveland ranks 29th in hurry probability, illustrating their inability to hold up for three seconds or longer -- and has produced a run success rate below 43 percent.
Simply, Watson isn't much of a weapon as a runner, and given his injury history, it doesn't seem wise to incorporate him into the running game. In fact, when in short-yardage situations, coach Kevin Stefanski has made a habit of inserting Jameis Winston at quarterback as the safer option for possible quarterback sneaks.
"I won't say that it won't help out the offense as far as just a run game," Watson said. "But coming back from [shoulder surgery], I don't think that is high priority for (Stefanski) to put me in that situation."
He's right. But with Watson visibly struggling as a passer, save for a few brief bright spots, the Browns are running out of options. We'll see if Stefanski changes his approach in Week 4, or continues to hold out hope Watson will suddenly rediscover the form that once saw him lead the NFL in passing yards in 2020.
