Good news from the front office: running back Jamel White has been signed to a four-year contract extension. I had almost concluded that 2003 would be his last year with the Browns, as he would become an unrestricted free agent and sprint to a team that would make him the feature back. The drafting of Lee Suggs seemed to fit that theory. ESPN reports that White will get a $1.3 million signing bonus as part of the $6.5 million deal.

Though never drafted and now second on the depth chart behind William Green, White is a mighty valuable man. His strong work ethic has paid off on the field and in the eyes of his teammates, who picked him as one of the team’s captains. Last year the nifty speedster gained 988 all-purpose yards, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, and caught 63 passes (second on the team). For a smaller player, he is a capable pass blocker, and –remarkably — he has never lost a fumble as a pro.

You can never have enough talent in the backfield. Green is something special, but White can also change a game on any given play. I hope the coaches can find more ways to get them both on the field at the same time. It’s the best backfield since Mack and Byner, or maybe even Greg and Mike Pruitt before them.