Casey's Pro Bowl Thoughts Run Wild

Titans defensive lineman has made it known he would like to play a little offense this year

Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports

Jurrell Casey has his mind set on one thing for this weekend’s Pro Bowl.

He wants to get in the backfield and get his hands on the football.

No, the Tennessee Titans defensive lineman doesn’t care whether he gets a strip sack against one of the game’s best quarterbacks. He has done that often enough throughout his nine-year NFL career. That is why – for the fifth straight year – he is with many of the sport’s best players at the annual all-star event.

This time Casey, who is 6-foot-1, 305 pounds, wants to line up in the backfield and take a handoff, and he has made his wishes known to AFC coach John Harbaugh.

“I used to play a little running back,” he told The Associated Press. “(Harbaugh) said he’s going to try, but he doesn’t’ want to mess up the system too much. I’m going to keep on trying to feed him all week. They’ve got to let me touch the ball at least once.”

There is reason for players to stick to what they do best in the Pro Bowl, which is set for Sunday at Orlando. Players on the winning side get $70,000 apiece. Those who play for the losing team get $35,000 each.

However, recently it has become vogue at this event for guys to mix it up a bit.

Because of an injury that sidelined him for the regular season finale, Casey was unable to play in last year’s Pro Bowl, when a number of guys on each side briefly played out of position. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey, for example, scored the final points with a seven-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

Two years ago he was credited with four tackles and a quarterback hit, which was similar to the previous year (five tackles and a quarterback hit). Following the 2015 season, in his Pro Bowl debut, he intercepted a pass.

He did all of that while playing defense. This time, he would like to do a little more.

“It’s definitely more than just a game,” Casey said. “We work hard all year long, beating each other down, so to come out and switch positions for one or two plays, I don’t think it hurts nobody.

“A lot of guys, they played a different position back in the day, so let them come out and mess around with that a little bit.”