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NFL

Waived by Browns in October, 49ers' Draughn downplays matchup

By FoxSports
Published | Updated
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Nov 29, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Shaun Draughn (24) carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers running back Shaun Draughn has changed addresses eight times in his four-plus seasons in the NFL so it's not a noteworthy occurrence when he faces one of his former teams.

That may be one of the reasons Draughn insists Sunday's matchup at Cleveland is "no different" than any other game, even though he was released by the Browns less than two months ago.

"I was with the Browns for quite a while -- they know what I can do," Draughn told reporters Wednesday.

Bringing in Draughn amounted to pretty much of a desperation move for the 49ers, who had lost their top three running backs to injury when they signed the journeyman on Nov. 2 to share time with Pierre Thomas, who was added to the roster the same week.

While Thomas lasted one game with San Francisco, Draughn has been a revelation in the backfield, averaging 86.3 yards from scrimmage in his four starts and playing every offensive snap in a narrow Week 12 loss to Arizona.

"When Shaun Draugn was here, we knew he was a good football player and he got caught up in the numbers game a bit and we had other backs we wanted to get out there," Browns coach Mike Pettine told reporters on a conference call. "It doesn't surprise us he's having the success he's had."

Draughn was signed by Cleveland in December 2014 and appeared in five games this season, carrying just two times, before his release on Oct. 20. Although he has not rushed for more than 58 yards in any of his four starts with the 49ers, he has been productive as a receiver with 22 catches.

"He's looking really good on the field," Browns safety Donte Whitner - a former 49er - told San Francisco reporters in a conference call. "(Draughn is) running the football, catching out of the back field, kind of making us wish we kept him."