BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Trying to get his jersey number back is the least of Shedeur Sanders’ worries.

With

a playbook to learn

and trying to prove critics wrong after sliding to the fifth round in the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback knows he has a long way to go before he even considers making an offer to receiver DeAndre Carter to wear No. 2.

“I’m not trying to buy anything. My signing bonus ain’t that high right now,” Sanders said at the end of his 13-minute availability with the media before Saturday’s practice at 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 a lot of fans of me, my craft and my family that was there to support (me). I was just thankful that I have that foundation overall,” Sanders said.

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.”

When it comes to the negative comments, Sanders did add that he feels most of it comes from older fans instead of those his own age or younger, and that most of it is because of his famous father.

“Ninety-nine percent of hatred is towards pops and then I’m just his son, so it really just comes from that. And I’ve told him that too,” he said. “It’s the older generation that do it to me rather than the younger people because when I come in person there’s no negativity I see. But it’s all over online.”

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 drills as part of their offseason regimen, head coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned that certain plays introduced to the newcomers aimed at providing them with real-time experience and allowing the team to evaluate them 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, it’s not only about the two of us in this space at present. In the coming year though, with Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and even Deshaun Watson—many players with extensive experience—we have an opportunity to learn from one another.

The rookies will join the veterans on Monday but won’t take the field for a couple of days as the workload increases. With a four-way competition between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders, Stefanski left open the possibility of one or two more receivers than usual being on the 90-man roster for training camp.

Even though DeShaun Watson is expected to miss the season as he recovers from tearing his Achilles twice, Stefanski said Watson is out of his walking boot, continues to rehab, and has been in the meeting room with Pickett and Flacco.

There isn’t a simple method to just transfer an installation into someone and tell them, ‘Here’s our offensive strategy, here’s our game plan, work it out,’” Stefanski stated. “It simply requires time. This isn’t something you can grasp instantly with a flick of your fingers. As much as I would like it to be otherwise, there are numerous meetings involved. Mistakes will happen—both physically and mentally—and what we aim to do is use these errors for coaching purposes and learning opportunities.

Sanders stated that the key aspect he intends to concentrate on for the coming several months is enhancing his day-to-day routine.

I simply identify something I wish to perfect and then do my very best to achieve that,” he stated. “I am grateful for the chance. The situation could have been much tougher, yet here I am, smiling before all of you at this establishment.

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