Shedeur Sanders’ start to life in the NFL has not gone to plan, but he’s now knuckling down and embracing every unexpected change while battling for his place with the Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders has urged fans to refer to him as ’12’ instead of ‘2’ after being forced to switch his jersey number – with his preferred number being occupied by a Cleveland Browns teammate.
Sanders was known for donning the No.2 during his college career at Jackson State and Colorado, but has had to adopt a new number in the NFL after being drafted by the Browns. He’s expressed no desire to negotiate for his favoured number with veteran DeAndre Carter.
Entering the NFL Draft as a highly-touted prospect, Sanders experienced a surprising slide to the fifth round, watching quarterbacks like Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel get picked before him – with Gabriel joining him at the Browns.
Now part of the Browns’ rookie minicamp, Sanders is set to train with the first team in the upcoming OTA’s, aiming to make an impression alongside seasoned players such as Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
However, Sanders is already taking his new situation in stride, advising fans to call him ’12’ and demonstrating leadership with new teammate Quinshon Judkins. In a locker room video featuring Judkins, Sanders can be heard giving advice about team protocol: “Bro put on your socks, you gotta show the stripes!”
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This comment refers to the Browns’ policy of fining players for incorrect attire.
Despite a rocky start to his career, Sanders has reportedly made a positive impression at the rookie minicamp, even outperforming Gabriel, who he’s in direct competition with. Upon the return of the first-team players, Sanders will also be vying for reps against Super Bowl champion Flacco and former first-round pick Pickett, who are considered the probable starter and back-up.
As a fifth-round pick, it’s unlikely that Sanders will receive as many opportunities as the aforementioned quarterbacks, meaning he’ll need to capitalise on every rep he gets.
The Browns’ OTA dates are set for May 27-28, June 3-4 and June 6, followed by a mandatory minicamp from June 10-12.
These sessions will be the only chances for Sanders and Gabriel to train with the team before the preseason, when teams must reduce their rosters from 92 to 53.
Both rookie quarterbacks will have three preseason games to prove their worth, potentially not just to their current teams, but also to others if one of them is to be transferred ahead of the regular season.
