3 NFL players heading into the 2022-23 season with a chip on their shoulder ft. Baker Mayfield 

#2 Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry will be motivated to show that he is still very capable

Injuries restricted Henry to just eight games in the 2021 season, and as such, many have written him off as yet another victim of the running-back curse.

It is the position which perhaps places the most physical strain on the body, and very few expect to have long careers without a dip in production.

Performance-wise, Henry rushed for almost 1,000 yards in his eight games and was on course to break the 2,000-yard mark for the second successive season.

Nobody is doubting Henry’s talent ahead of the Tennessee Titans’ campaign, but there are questions over whether his body can stand up to another year of punishment.

Henry will have heard talk about his health and will be aware that the Titans drafted Hassan Haskins in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

While not a replacement for Henry, his presence puts the veteran on notice, and if he doesn’t perform, he will not be a guaranteed starter.

Henry still has gas left in the tank and is more than capable of rushing for 2,000 yards in 2022-23. Given the doubts surrounding him, he will be intent on making people eat their words.

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#3 Baker Mayfield

Baker Mayfield

The Cleveland Browns effectively told Baker Mayfield that they didn’t think he was good enough to be their starting quarterback without even doing a face-to-face.

By trading for Deshaun Watson, paying him a record salary and standing firmly behind him in the wake of a possible suspension for alleged sexual misconduct, the Browns sent a clear message to Mayfield.

What is particularly troubling about this is the fact that Mayfield hasn’t been a bad quarterback for Cleveland.

He arrived in a franchise that had just suffered a winless season and led them to their first playoff win since 1994.

Baker Mayfield played with the confidence that the franchise and city needed, yet he couldn’t quite take the team to the next level.

Cleveland didn’t need to keep Mayfield, but they had to ensure he wasn’t blindsided by the Watson trade.

Having now been traded to the Carolina Panthers, Baker Mayfield will walk into the team as a starting QB. With the presence of Christian McCaffrey to help him as a truly elite rushing/receiving option, the former Browns starter could really enjoy success.

Nobody will be more motivated than Baker Mayfield. He will want to show the Browns that they were wrong to replace him.

There are few better sources of motivation than revenge, and Baker Mayfield is ready to hurt the Browns, especially if Watson is suspended for the entire season.