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Eight biggest boom or bust NFL teams in 2017

Drew Brees and Sean Payton lead a Saints squad that is among the biggest boom/bust NFL teams in 2017.

Cincinnati Bengals

John Ross

It’s hard for this scribe to get too excited about the Bengals as we look ahead to 2017. But the possibility does exist for Cincinnati to have a bounce-back campaign after suffering through a 6-9-1 season in 2017.

The team’s first-round pick in 2017, John Ross, is pretty much a microcosm of how the Bengals are a boom or bust team. He’s got the potential to become the next DeSean Jackson of this league, but his injury history could see him go the way of Kevin White just as easily. No doubt, Cincinnati reached for him at No. 9 overall. But if he can stay healthy that gamble will pay off in a big way.

The same can be said for Joe Mixon, who represents another big gamble for this risk-loving franchise. Team owner Mike Brown acknowledged the team “took a risk” drafting a guy who has a history of abusing at least one woman in the second round.

If both players can stay on the field, then Cincinnati’s offense has a chance to be special. Andy Dalton isn’t as good as the best quarterbacks in the league, but he’s capable of engineering a winning offense.

The Bengals have a strong defensive unit that allowed less than 20 points per game last year. If Cincinnati’s draft-day gambles pay off, then this team could make it back to the playoffs in 2017. On the other side of the same coin, the Bengals will fall apart if the house wins.

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