It’s safe to assume many running backs will be playing with a chip on their shoulder in 2023 given the growing opinion that those who play the position are expendable.
Count Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans among them.
Henry, who’s typically of reserved nature and tends to keep his opinions to himself, recently sounded off about the mistreatment his fellow RB cohorts have been getting throughout the offseason, making it known he and others won’t stand for being easily dismissed.
“Have you all witnessed it? I’m pretty sure you all have,” Henry said, via the Associated Press. “So yes, (we’re) just trying to show that we are valuable as any other position. They use us in commercials and all over the place. And we just want our share due.”
Not only is Henry motivated to show teams that his position still matters and that a good running back makes a quarterback’s life significantly easier, but he also has personal incentive to put up another strong season.
The 29-year-old is just 1,675 yards shy of breaking Eddie George’s franchise record for career rushing yards — a number that’s certainly attainable this season given Henry’s production when he’s fully healthy (he’s averaged 1,701 yards during his last three healthy seasons).