Flag football isn’t as close to NFL football as you think. That’s why the best players from the Chargers may not be exactly who you think they’d be.
The NFL owners pushed through the proposal to allow players to participate in flag football during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. There’s only room for 10 players on the actual team, meaning there are going to be a lot of good football players who don’t get picked. It also means the majority of NFL teams will likely not be represented, as well.
Because of this, the honor of being able to play this game with the country’s flag on your uniform will be all the more surreal.
I don’t know for sure if there will be a Chargers player picked for the team three years from now, but at this moment, here are my current top three that I believe would have the best chance to make an impact for Team USA.
3.) WR Mike Williams
The field for flag football is quite a bit smaller than a normal field, measuring 50 yards between end zones and 30 yards wide. What stays the same, however, is the end zones remain 10 yards deep.
With such a smaller space to work within near the goal line, larger receivers who are able to make the tough catch through contact and traffic will be all the more imperative to a successful team. Also, if you haven’t watched flag football before, the quarterbacks are essentially scrambling on every play which means they’re making all their passes on the run.
I’ll tell you what, that sounds pretty identical to the plays where Herbert would scramble on crucial downs only to throw it up to Williams for a momentum-changing play. See where I’m going with this? Williams has been one of the best in the NFL in those situations over his career. Yes, he’ll be far too old by the time the 2028 Olympics roll around, but no one can deny his skillset doesn’t fit that style of play like a glove.
2.) S Derwin James
James has been to several Pro Bowl Games since the all-star event switched their game to that format which means he actually already has a decent amount of experience within that style of play. At 6’2 and 215 pounds with immense athleticism, James is simply an all-around good football player, regardless of position. He’s uber-competitive, as well. While he could play safety for the Olympic team, I think James should be near the top of the list for the team’s pass rusher.
Since the free rusher (whom starts seven yards off the line of scrimmage) doesn’t have to fight through massive offensive linemen to get to the quarterback, teams will utilize fast players with elite agility to track down quarterbacks before they can get the ball off. James is already a great pass rusher for a safety in the NFL so this seems like the perfect job for him on the team.
1.) WR/PR Derius Davis
Apart from the niche skills of both Williams and James that help land them on this list, Davis tops the group here for the simple fact that he’s insanely fast with elite agility. While you do need your taller wideouts, Davis complements that skillset by being not just a player who can take the top off the defense and run past everyone, but also as a YAC threat whom quarterbacks can target underneath and let him juke and jive his way around pursuers.
I mean, can you imagine trying to pull a flag off Davis’ belt? It seems like a near impossibility and that’s the exactly what we’re aiming for here.
So what do you all think? Which players do you think could also make a case for being on the Olympic flag football team? Let us know all of your thoughts below!