NFL teams that could disappoint overachieve in 2017

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NFL teams that could disappoint, overachieve in 2017 Published: Jun 15, 2017 at 04:00 AM Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host It's an unavoidable trap of the tediously long NFL offseason. By mid-June, all 32 teams have been over-analyzed to death. Picked to pieces. Kicked around like so many dead horses. We casually throw a bunch of clubs into the "doomed" category based on free agency lo ses or a perceived bad draft. On the flip side, a handful of rosters are fawned over for adding a bundle of high-priced veterans. Then the games begin, and most of what we predicted with utter surety in the summer gets to sed in the blender. This article comes packed with all those inherent dangers, but I needed something to do today, so here's my pitch: I'm calling out a trio of buzzy, hyped-up teams bound to disappoint -- while also naming three franchises set to exceed expectations. Let's get started, shall we? ENOUGH WITH THE BUZZ Jacksonville Jaguars Yes, the defense has a chance to make waves. Second-year cornerback is a star in the making, and the line looks stout, with paired next to . Cover man was another solid free-agent addition for a unit hoping to see young edge rushers and continue to grow. The pieces are there, but many of these same pieces utterly failed to mesh under previous coach Gus Bradley. Is Doug Marrone the guy to flip the switch? I struggle to believe in Jacksonville's rise to power until we see major changes at the quarterback position. After such a hopeful start to his career, was a mechanical disaster in 2016, leading to another predictable round of trope-oozing offseason reports about the 25-year-old pa ser his faulty throwing motion. Those words came from newly installed football czar Tom Coughlin, but I need to see it on the field before buying into the . It's just as likely that Jacksonville heads into next offseason looking for new answers under center. Dallas Cowboys The concept of a swoon has History is on the side of my colleague Dan Hanzus, who points to a recent track record of Dallas following double-digit-win seasons with crash-and-burn campaigns. How could it happen this autumn? Let's start with a Racey McMath Jersey defense that lost cover men , , and in free agency, stripping the team of a combined from 2016. A potential for cornerback would only further deplete one of the league's thinnest secondaries. It's a rough dynamic for a club set to face , , and twice next season, along with the likes of , , , and . The hope in Dallas is that last year's formula -- unleashing behind the NFC's best O-line -- continues to work wonders. Even so, second-year quarterback could find himself under pre sure to score points in bundles to keep up. There's a lot of talent on this team, but expecting another 13-win juggernaut is suspect when Dallas has serious depth i sues on defense. New Orleans Saints Fun Fact: NFL.com had published roughly 827 stories about this offseason. We get it, employer. Adding Peterson and rookie to a backfield already laced with makes this a must-watch team. The also have a bona fide star at receiver in , while 38-year-old quarterback shows no sign of slowing down. New Orleans has finished in the top 12 in points scored and among the top six in total offense every year since coach Sean Payton arrived in 2006. All of this only adds to the frustration around a poorly constructed roster with just one winning season over the past five years. During that stretch, the have refused to build a competent defense, finishing 28th or worse in points allowed four times since 2012. Adding rookie cornerback helps, but New Orleans has just one defensive starter -- edge rusher -- who received a grade of 80.0 or more (out of 100) from Pro Football Focus last season. Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune wrote during OTAs that for a defense that has "run out of second and third chances" to fix itself. For all the offseason buzz about Peterson and this offense, the defense could -- once again -- sink this ship. READY TO OVERACHIEVE San Francisco 49ers I'm not ticketing Larrell Murchison Jersey the Niners for a winning season, but I wouldn't be surprised to see San Francisco dial up six-plus victories. The roster includes a wealth of talent along the defensive line with mountainous pa s rushers and sandwiched around versatile first-round tackle . This will be a better unit in 2017, while the offense finds itself in good hands under Kyle Shanahan. It's easy -- and fair -- to dismi s , but remember that the journeyman quarterback has worked well with Shanahan before. The duo helped the to a surprising 7-4 start in 2014 before the wheels fell off, with the coach that leaned hard on a young backfield. Rookie runner could see major carries if isn't a fit for the team's outside-zone scheme. Shanahan has worked wonders with first-year backs before, and Williams the Utah star, per CSN Bay Area. With free-agent pickup upgrading last year's ugly cast of receivers, the Niners are set to show signs of growth under Shanahan, arguably the best in-game play caller in the NFL today. Los Angeles Chargers Would anyone be surprised to see the Bolts completely flip their 5-11 record from a season ago? Eleven wins is po sible with at the wheel, if the can avoid the plague of injuries that sunk this team in 2016. First-year coach Anthony Lynn brings a proven history of maximizing the ground game, hinting at a monster year for . The third-year back will work behind a revamped O-line that added tackle and drafted two interior uglies in and . Meanwhile, Rivers has a laundry list of talented pa s catchers in tight end , rookie receiver and fellow wideouts , , and . The defense isn't perfect, but the have valuable starters in , , and , plus an All-Pro in the making in edge rusher . Gus Bradley and Ken Whisenhunt give the Bolts a pair of experienced coordinators, and the team's move from San Diego -- still tough to support, -- has been mostly drama-free. They're stuck in a nasty division, but something just feels right about this team winning games at the super-intimate, 30,000-seat StubHub Center. Cleveland Browns Laugh all you want. The poured resources into an offensive line that looks like one of the AFC's finest after adding guard and center . That's the foundation for an attack that could challenge for the AFC lead in rushing attempts under coach Hue Jackson. On defense, No. 1 overall pick adds star power to a front line that saw fellow edge rusher surge down the stretch alongside improved nose tackle . (Of course, we'll need to keep an eye on -- hopefully that's nothing serious.) If and can hold down the fort at linebacker, this Gregg Williams-led group has a chance to help Cleveland not be a disaster on defense for the first time in e sentially 20 years. The key here is and the will need a quarterback to emerge from the pile for that to happen. That's no small request, but if Jackson can squeeze adequate play out of , and/or rookie , I wouldn't be surprised to see the win six games Jevon Kearse Jersey and show true growth when most have Cleveland pegged for another 1-15 hell ride. I should also note, however, that I woke from a bizarre dream last weekend about Ke sler throwing five interceptions in the season opener. In the dream, Ke sler had grown a long, flowing mane of brown hair on one side of his head, with the other side of his scalp having been shaved like that of an angry punk-rock girl. None of this bodes well. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. 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