Cleveland Browns General Manager Phil Savage took over a team coming off a 4-12 2004 season, and he’s now running a team coming off a 10-6 2007 season. The result? He’s close to getting a new contract.

“It’s something we’ve been talking about on and off since December,” owner Randy Lerner said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “We’ve kept the dialogue going, and we hope to have something done soon.”

Savage has two years left on the five-year deal he signed in 2005, and the contract extension will go through at least the 2011 season. Head coach Romeo Crennel, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker have all signed extensions through 2011 as well.

Lerner told the Plain Dealer he was excited about the future of the team because “It’s been a great off-season,” but it seems a little premature to make such a declaration. The Browns’ roster has more recognizable names on it than it did in 2007, but the Browns have also traded away their top three draft picks.

Savage appears to have the Browns headed in the right direction, but Lerner is putting an awful lot of faith in people who haven’t yet led the team to the playoffs.