via Atlanta United
Atlanta United players have arrived for preseason after a long offseason of like two weeks. Before they start playing matches, I wanted to take a look at the current roster and answer two questions: How did their 2024 go and what could their 2025 look like?
We already talked about the forwards and midfielders and fullbacks. We’re gonna keep going with the center backs. We’ll keep rolling throughout the week or until something more interesting happens.
Derrick Williams | End of 2025 season age: 32 | 2024 g+/96: 0.01 in 2543 minutes, 26 starts| Probable cap hit: $447.5k | Contract length: 2025, Option for 2026
In Atlanta United’s most injury-riddled group, Williams provided the most stable presence at the back last season. Even then, he still missed time. But in his 26 regular season starts, he stood out as an example of how cost-effective MLS Guys can be critical pieces of a roster in a salary-cap league.
It’s not just the affordable salary that makes Wiliams feel like a steal. Atlanta acquired Williams in Stage Two of the Re-Entry Draft, a thing someone in the Discord will have to explain to you later. Basically, the Five Stripes acquired Williams for free using a roster mechanic that someone1 wrote out on the back of a napkin and stapled into the MLS rulebook before declaring it law. That’s just good MLS roster-building. Creating a winning team in MLS is about being ambitious at the top of your roster and utilizing every mechanic available to you to strengthen the rest of the squad. Even the ones you can’t begin to explain to your parents.2
Williams didn’t play at an elite level all season, but he did play above his pay grade. He’s a smart, savvy player, a leader in the locker room and a steady veteran presence. Discovering that in real-time early in 2024 made for some of the most enjoyable moments of a bad season.
The question then is if those attributes are enough to be a starting center back on an MLS Cup-winning side. I think the answer is yes, but this team desperately needs consistency at the position. Williams can’t be the lead dog at center back. He needs an aggressive, physical player next to him. A player like Stian Gregersen.
The problem is that he and Gregersen struggled to be on the field together at the same time. I counted 17 regular season games where both were in the starting lineup. Unfortunately, the majority of those came later in the season. Gregersen got hurt after just three games at the start of the year, Williams got hurt during Gregersen’s absence and by the time they got back on the field together Atlanta had already punted on the season. If Atlanta hits the over on 26.5 starts with both of them on the field in 2025 they’ll probably be good to great defensively.
Of course, it would help to have a little competition for Williams and a cost-effective third option you can rely on. Which brings us to our next player…
Luis Abram | End of 2025 season age: 29 | 2024 g+/96: 0.03 in 1308 minutes, 11 starts | Probable cap hit: $871.8k (TAM) | Contract length: 2025, Option for 2026
What do you do with a defender who doesn’t…uh…defend?
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