Berea, Ohio (AP) — Getting his jersey number returned should be the last thing on Shedeur Sanders’ list of concerns.

With

a playbook to learn

After dropping to the fifth round of the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns’ new rookie quarterback aims to silence his critics. He understands that he still has a lot of work ahead of him before thinking about inviting wide receiver DeAndre Carter to sport the number 2 jersey.

“I’m not looking to make any purchases. My signing bonus isn’t very substantial these days,” Sanders stated during the conclusion of his 13-minute session with the press prior to Saturday’s practice at the rookie minicamp.

Sanders took No. 12 because he said it was the best number available. It also doesn’t hurt that it was the number Tom Brady wore en route to seven Super Bowl championships with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brady said during a podcast appearance earlier this week that he texted Sanders after the draft and told him to use his slide to the 144th overall pick as motivation. Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 draft.

There were many supporters who admired not only me but also my work and my family. They were present to back me up,” Sanders stated. “I felt grateful for having such a strong base overall.

While Sanders’ fall in the draft could be attributed to some of the comments from his father — Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — he knows that everything from here on out is up to him.

“I’m taking every snap out there; I’m getting up after these hits. I’m the one throwing touchdowns. I’m the one that got to live it day by day. So all he gave us was the opportunity, and we had to navigate and see what we liked,” Sanders said. “And especially coming to this building, we have great coaches in the building able to keep me focused, keep me in a straight and narrow line.”

Regarding the unfavorable feedback, Sanders mentioned that he believes it mostly originates from an older generation rather than people his age or younger, attributing much of it to his well-known parentage.

Ninety-nine percent of the hostility stems from my father being targeted, as I am simply his offspring. This sentiment has been conveyed to them,” he stated. “The antagonism primarily originates from those who belong to an earlier generation since, during personal encounters, I haven’t encountered such negative reactions; however, these sentiments seem prevalent across various online platforms.

Sanders and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel got plenty of snaps over the two days of practices. Besides trying to learn the playbook, there is refining technique and also trying to learn how to take snaps under center regularly.

Since the veterans haven’t participated in any 11-on-11 sessions during their offseason regimen, head coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned that several plays introduced to the newcomers were designed to provide them with real-time experience and enable evaluation for the first time.

Gabriel said he is not trying to get caught up in any distractions, and is welcoming the chance to compete with Sanders through the offseason program and training camp.

I appreciate it for what it represents. I believe that both of us can gain knowledge from each other,” Gabriel stated. “However, the room isn’t only occupied by just the two of us at this moment. For now, it’s like that. Yet as we move forward into the season, we have Kenny (Pickett), Joe (Flacco), and even Deshaun (Watson)—a group of experienced players with whom we all can share insights and learning.

The newcomers will link up with the experienced players on Monday but aren’t scheduled to hit the practice fields for a few days as their workloads ramp up. Given the fierce contest among Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Gabriel, and Sanders at quarterback, Stefanski hinted at potentially having an additional receiver or two beyond the typical count on the 90-player training camp roster.

Despite DeShaun Watson anticipated to sit out for the season due to recovering from bilateral torn Achilles tendons, Stefanski mentioned that Watson is now free from his walking boot, continuing his rehabilitation process. Additionally, Watson has been present in meetings alongside Pickett and Flacco.

“There’s no easy way to just pour an install into a person and say, ‘Here’s our offense, here’s our playbook, figure it out.’ It just takes time,” Stefanski said. “This’s just not something that you can just pick up and snap your fingers. I wish it was so; there’s just a lot of meetings. You’re going to make mistakes — both physical and mental — and what we’re trying to do is coach off of those and learn from those.”

Sanders said the important thing he will focus on over the next couple of months is trying to improve daily.

“I just find something I want to perfect and just perfect it to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I’m just thankful for an opportunity. Things could have been a lot worse, but I’m here smiling in front of you all at this facility right now.”

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