Atlanta United has choices to make before the expansion draft

If San Diego FC wants to pay me to live in San Diego I guess I'll put my name in the ring

San Diego FC will select five players in the MLS Expansion Draft on Wednesday. Unfortunately, Atlanta United has to participate in this one. They got a pass from the last one after inexplicably failing to protect Anton Walkes in Charlotte’s draft. We were mad about it at the time and still feel some type of way about it to be totally honest. But I’ll digress…

San Diego can pick one Atlanta United player from the club’s unprotected list. The good news for Atlanta is that the list shouldn’t include players the team is too stressed about losing.

Before we take our best guess at that list though, we have to explain some rules.

**WARNING: MLS ROSTER RULES BELOW. PLEASE SECURE YOUR HELMET BEFORE SECURING THE HELMET OF ANY SMALL CHILDREN WHO MAY BE IN THE AREA**

• San Diego FC may select up to five players from the eligible pool of players, claiming only a single player from any one club.

• The 29 MLS clubs that competed during the 2024 season can protect 12 players from their Senior and Supplemental rosters.

• If a player’s contract expires at the end of 2024, he will still be considered part of the club’s Roster. If a club protects a player, the club is not obligated to exercise the player’s option.

• If a player has a no-trade clause in his contract, his MLS club must protect him.

• Generation adidas players who occupy Roster Slots 21-24 and Homegrown Players 25 years old and under in the year in which the Expansion Draft takes place on a club’s Roster at the end of the 2024 MLS Season are automatically protected.

We don’t know which players have a no-trade clause—Brad Guzan would be the most likely, right?—but we do know who the Generation adidas and homegrown players are. These guys are all safe:

• Luke Brennan

• Noah Cobb

• Matthew Edwards

• Ajani Fortune

• Efrain Morales

• Adyn Torres

• Tyler Wolff (OUT OF CONTRACT, IN DISCUSSIONS)

One note here. Santiago Sosa does not need to be protected. That transfer is official and he’s officially off the books. Atlanta saved themselves some potential hassle by getting that done.

That leaves this group of 19 draft-eligible players:

1. Luis Abram

2. Pedro Amador

3. Josh Cohen

4. Stian Gregersen

5. Brad Guzan

6. Ronald Hernandez (OUT OF CONTRACT, IN DISCUSSIONS)

7. Franco Ibarra (OUT OF CONTRACT)

8. Brooks Lennon

9. Saba Lobjandize

10. Dax McCarty (RETIRING)

11. Alexey Miranchuk

12. Edwin Mosquera

13. Tristan Muyumba

14. Xande Silva

15. Bartosz Slisz

16. Jamal Thiare (OUT OF CONTRACT, IN DISCUSSIONS)

17. Quentin Westberg (RETIRING)

18. Derrick Williams

19. Nick Firmino (OUT OF CONTRACT)

You’ll immediately notice that you don’t have to worry about a few players who are technically eligible. Atlanta can go ahead and leave anyone out of contract or retiring on the unprotected list. That’s…

• Ibarra

• Dax

• Westberg

• Firmino

That leaves 15 players for 12 protected spots. Seven of those 15 players will absolutely, 100% be protected. Those are:

• Amador

• Gregersen

• Guzan

• Lobjanidze

• Miranchuk

• Slisz

• Williams

We’re at eight players for six spots now. Here’s the case for protecting or not protecting each.

LUIS ABRAM