CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terrelle Pryor, picked up by the Browns last week as a receiver, apparently hasn't fully grasped the notion of playing wideout instead of quarterback.

"I'm going to give this slash-player deal a chance," Pryor told his hometown Trib Total Media Thursday night. "I just want to play football. I'm a playmaker, and I believe if I can touch the ball, I can go to the house, especially if I have space. This should definitely open up some opportunities."

The Browns made it clear in their press release that "Pryor will compete for a roster spot at wide receiver.'' No mention of quarterback was made, despite the fact he started 10 games at quarterback for Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, one in 2012 and nine in 2013 when he went 3-6 with Oakland. Heading into training camp next month, "slash'' -- wide receiver/quarterback -- doesn't appear to be in the cards for the former Buckeye.

But Pryor, who told the Cincinnati Enquirer last month that "If I can't play quarterback, I can't play football. I'm pretty much done,'' still fancies himself throwing the ball as well as catching it.

"That was my position. That's my heart. That's what I trained for," Pryor told Trib Total Media. "Yeah, I'm human. It's just like everybody else. I never thought of quitting. I kept working hard, thinking that my time is going to come. I work too hard. I don't think anyone can outwork me. I spend a lot of time on my craft. I don't really think of it like that. One of these days I'm going to get an opportunity and break through."

But knowing that receiver might be his only chance to remain in the NFL this season, the Jeannette, Pa., native called Steelers All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown. In the five weeks before training camp opens, he plans to work out with Brown and retired seven-time Pro Bowl receiver Randy Moss. Some in the NFL believe Pryor would make a better tight end than receiver, but he'll focus on wideout for the time being.

"The thing that helps me is that I played quarterback, and I know what the quarterback wants," Pryor (6-4, 233 pounds) said. "What I've got to work on is the specifics, cutting in and out of the breaks. Athletically, I believe I can do anything on the field. When I get on the field, I may not be the best, but I always feel like I am. I bring that mindset. I work my hardest to be the best I can at that position."

His former Ohio State coach, Jim Tressel, believes he can make the transition.

"He certainly has tremendous athletic ability and a passion to help wherever he can be helpful,'' Tressel told WHBC radio in Canton, Ohio. "So if anyone can do it, he can. And, he could be the bonus of, he can be the team's third quarterback, and that way they only have to carry two, which gives you a chance to have one more good player on special teams or whatever else.''

Tressel received a call from Pryor the day he was awarded to the Browns, but hasn't yet had a chance to remind him how hard he's going to have to work at his new position. The Browns are already stocked at quarterback with Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis, so it's doubtful he'll get camp reps at quarterback. Besides, he's been traded once and cut three times as a quarterback -- including by the Bengals June 18 --in the past 14 months.

"He's got to pay close attention and understand that he's in a new world and he's got to assume that he knows nothing," Tressel said. "He's also got to take the advantage of having been the guy under center, with the knowledge there, but he's also got to learn the intricacies of playing another position, and just understand that he's starting from the beginning and work hard every day and believe in himself. He's really grown, I've talked to him off and on. ... I'm sure he'll do well."

Pryor's high school coach Ray Reitz told Trib Total Media that Pryor will be a matchup nightmare in the mold of a Calvin Johnson.

"If you try to press him, he's going to rock you or run by you," Reitz said. "Plus, he has that leaping ability and really good hands. If you make one mistake, he's scoring."

Pryor, whose son Terrelle II will turn one next week, heads to camp with a great attitude.

"You wake up wondering what's going to happen today," Pryor said. "This isn't a test. This is easy to me. I can get through pretty much anything. Whatever they throw at me, I can take it. I keep working hard. I work with a smile. That's why I'm proud, the way I carry myself. To this day, I believe you are who you surround yourself with. That's why I'm positive that everything is going to turn out good, if not great. That's how I view everything."