Shedeur Sanders has worn No. 2 throughout his football career, but he will have to settle for a new jersey number in his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns. Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Carter got dibs on No. 2, and Sanders can’t exactly afford to buy it off him.
Prior to the start of rookie minicamp, the Browns announced the Sanders would wear No. 12. That’s because Carter, who signed a one-year deal with the team in March, had already claimed No. 2.
Speaking with reporters on Saturday, Sanders was asked whether he would try to buy his favorite jersey number from Carter. Sanders, who slipped to the fifth round of the NFL Draft, joked that his signing bonus wasn’t high enough for that.
“My signing bonus ain’t that high right now,” Sanders said.
At least for the time being, Sanders will have to take the field without his trademark No. 2, which was recently retired by the University of Colorado at the program’s spring game. The other number retired that day was Travis Hunter’s No. 12, which the two former Buffs teammates will share at the NFL level.
Rookie jersey numbers have been a hot topic of the offseason. No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward got Warren Moon’s now un-retired No. 1 with the Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor turned down Abdul Carter when the rookie asked to wear No. 56.
As rookie jersey numbers continue to get announced, CBS Sports has been keeping track of each one for every first-round pick right here.
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