Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back projected for Olympic flag football team

Picking the 10 players who will comprise Team USA on the Olympic Flag Football team will be no easy choice, but one Buccaneer could crack the roster.

Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) warms up before a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Flag football has been added to the 2028 Olympic Games, and there's been a ton of buzz on who might comprise the team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has already made his intentions known that he would like to be part of the 10-man flag team. However, with such a small roster and other dominant wideouts in the league, it's a long shot he'll be chosen to represent the United States when they take the field in Los Angeles.

When looking at the Bucs' current roster, you can make a case for someone like running back Bucky Irving to be on the team, as making people miss when reaching for a flag is crucial in flag football.

As ESPN's Matt Bowen points out in his latest article, Antoine Winfield Jr. might be a perfect fit on the back end playing safety.

"Winfield has the skills to create on-the-ball production in coverage, and he can track down receivers in space to limit the opponent offense after the catch. If Team USA wanted to match Parsons in coverage, Winfield could also be deployed as the pass rusher or play from depth as a deep defender (remember, quarterbacks get seven seconds to throw).

In five pro seasons, Winfield has seven interceptions, 20 pass breakups and 17 sacks. He's a natural disruptor who is often around the ball for a reason."

There's already a professional USA flag football team, which will hold its championship game July 18 to July 20, and there are questions about if the team will be made up of a mix of current players and NFL players or simply one or the other. One thing is for sure — there are likely to be plenty of Bucs players interested in a chance to represent their country and their sport on the world stage.

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