Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku predicting playoffs in 2019

The Cleveland Browns seem close to making a playoff run, and tight end David Njoku believes that they will be in the 2019 playoffs.

The Cleveland Browns’ incredibly successful second half of last season put them in a position to where they had a chance to make the playoffs. The run was too late, but it showed that the Browns have the talent to compete for a playoff spot.

With another off-season or two, the Browns should have built a roster that is prepared to make a run for the playoffs. The young players will have another year of experience and the front office will be able to plug any holes that they see.

However, Browns tight end David Njoku believes that 2019 will be the season Cleveland makes the playoffs for the first time since 2002. In a short interview with Fox Sports, Njoku says the Browns have what it takes to be a playoff team.

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It is not a surprise that when asked if the Browns will be in the playoffs, Njoku said yes. It would have been a bigger story line had he said that they will not be in the playoffs next season. But what is interesting is how confident every Browns player appears to be for next season.

Despite not finishing with an above .500 record last season and having a new coaching staff, the players still feel that they can put everything together and make a playoff run. It helps that they have a leader in quarterback Baker Mayfield who exudes confidence.

Njoku’s proclamation is similar to what Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey predicted last off-season. Kirksey said that the Browns were going to shock the world and make the playoffs last season, and even doubled-down on his prediction. But the Browns were obviously unable to make Kirksey’s prediction come to fruition.

It is fair to say that the Browns are in a good position when it comes to their division. The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be heading towards a rebuild as they could lose both Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown this off-season. The Bengals also seem to be ready for a rebuild with a new head coach.

The Browns biggest competition next season will be the Baltimore Ravens. But if the Ravens can not make it harder for defenses to game-plan for Lamar Jackson, then the Browns could be seen as the favorites to win the AFC North next season.

There remains work to be done in order for the Browns to be a playoff team next season. They will have to prove that the second half of the season was not a fluke. New head coach Freddie Kitchens will also have to prove that he has what it takes to be a head coach – as well as being able to still be the offensive play-caller.

But confidence from players is a big thing. The players believe that they can win games no matter what is happening behind the scenes or on the field. If every Browns player feels the way that Njoku feels, then 2019 could be an exciting season for the Dawg Pound.