The Sports Xchange

BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns rookie Duke Johnson left the University of Miami as the Hurricanes’ all-time leading rusher, but he does not put himself in the class of Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee and some of the other backs that preceded him.

“From the outside looking in, I wouldn’t guess me either because of what those guys were able to do as far as wins,” Johnson said this week at the team’s OTA workouts. “That’s why they were always known and that’s why their names will always be at the top of my list.”

Johnson rushed for 3,519 yards in three seasons at Miami. The Browns are looking at him as a kick and punt returner as well as being in the running back mix with Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell.

–The Browns survived a scare when wide receiver Dwayne Bowe tweaked his right knee when his legs got tangled with those of a defender while trying to catch a pass in the end zone. Coach Mike Pettine said he expects Bowe to be back at spring practice by Monday.

–Defensive lineman Tory Slater was awarded to the Browns via waivers from the Seattle Seahawks. Slater, 6-foot-5, 290 pounds, was signed by the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie from Div. II West Georgia where he had 10 sacks in his final season.

–Head coach Mike Pettine does not believe moving the extra point back 13 yards to the 15 will negatively affect the Browns in bad weather at home games.

“I don’t necessarily see it as a disadvantage in cold weather just because you’d like to think that we’ll be used to it,” Pettine said. “You bring in a warm-weather kicker, a California kicker or a guy that’s used to kicking in a dome, the likelihood of them missing might be a little bit higher. We’re used to our stadium, that type of thing.”

The Browns will have a new kicker in 2015. Currently Carey Spear and Travis Coons are contending for the job.