Quarterbacks with the most to prove in 2016: Andy Dalton

Barring another unlucky injury, Andy Dalton will be back in the crosshairs this season.

After Dalton took the heat for the Bengals’ four playoff losses in his first four years as a starter, he got to see the other side of the coin this year after his late-season broken thumb preserved the glow of a dominant campaign. (The Bengals proceeded to lose in the first round of the playoffs without him.) Barring another unlucky injury, Dalton will be back in the crosshairs this season. Six consecutive one-and-done playoff trips would drive many teams to make a very dramatic, very visible change, and while the Bengals are no ordinary franchise in their patient, methodical approach, breaking the pattern this winter would do a world of good for both Dalton and coach Marvin Lewis.