free agency 2.0: wave edition

I wanted to talk free agency at the end of a Season Recap write up, but decided to give the big day its own piece. (Actually, I’m not close to finishing the season recap and didn’t want free agency info to be dated so we are pivoting to this.)

The window for free agents to sign opens today. You can find a list of all 55 eligible players here. While the window to sign with a new team opens, players have been free to negotiate terms for two months, so expect some immediate roster action.

Last season, our Wavé signed the Might Minute Menace aka Danielle Colaprico and Rachel Hill, both of whom played notable minutes and started in the semifinal against OL Reign, and Meggie Dougherty Howard. We can review these signings more in the forthcoming Season Recap.

SDWFC currently have 5 players on the free agent list, all labeled unrestricted free agents (restricted free agents have to give their current team 7 days to match an offer). Pending free agents were allowed to re-sign with their current club before the FA window opened, so presumably Makenzy Doniak, Madison Pogarch, Cheyenne Shorts, Emily Van Egmond, and Christen Westphal are not likely to be with the club next season. 

Of the group, I hope they prioritize Westphal, then maybe Pogarch (who has a mutual option). Westphal is a solid defender who can get into the attacking third and has one of the most aesthetically pleasing Cruyff turns you’re ever going to see. “Po” provided an impressive work rate and grit off the bench, pumping energy into the team deep into games with her aggressive defending and hard (occasionally late) challenges. Based on videos the team posts and her presence on the sideline during game broadcasts, she also seems like a glue player, someone that can bring the team up even in the absence of their name on the team sheet. 

But what will that cost and are there other FA options? I’m not going to pretend I know how the salary cap works in NWSL, nor could I find information of money allocated to player contracts. But let’s work through it together! And if anything below is incorrect, please let me know, I’m begging to learn more about league transactions and roster construction.

Here is what Spotrac tells us:

While the salary cap limit is $1.375M, I’m not sure how much of that money is currently distributed among the 2024 roster. Jaedyn Shaw, Mel Barcenas, Kailen Sheridan and Naomi Girma all signed extensions during the 2023 season but the money per year is not available. Below are the players currently under contract through the 2024 season (Girma isn’t listed but neither is her contract extension on the site, so it could just be a mistake).

My assumption for why players like Taylor Kornieck and Amirah Ali (who are not eligible for free agency) aren’t listed, is because the team will either exercise an option to keep these players or waive them for salary room. 

As for Allocation Money, every team on Spotrac is listed with $500K. That money can be used for player transfers outside the league without impacting the salary cap. I’m guessing that is what they used to acquire Kyra Carusa this season, but couldn’t find money numbers. Not sure what Unallocated Minimum and Maximum Salary categories are; maybe that’s the league minimum salary and the maximum salary (no limit) you can pay a player. 

All this to say the free agent class has some massive names available but I have no idea what the Wave can afford. Let’s look at what’s available and what we need.

The Market 

These are the top-tier FA options at each position, which will consequently demand the most money to sign. (I wont list goalies since Wave aren’t shopping for one considering they have 3 on their roster)

Forwards: Mallory Swanson, Maria Sanchez

Midfielders: Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle

Defenders: Emily Fox, Sarah Gorden, Becky Sauerbrunn, Emily Sonnett

The Issues

There are plenty of things you can break down with any team that can be improved. With SDWFC, these are a few places I hope they prioritize. 

Left/Right Back: the team needs more contribution from either side next season. Neither Kristen McNabb nor Westphal got up the field as much as they did in 2022 and I think that’s one of the reasons the team struggled to create chances. 

Solution: Sarah Gordon (update: re-signed with ACFC)

She was selected to the NWSL Best XI last season after missing the 2022 season recovering from an ACL injury. Drafted in 2016 by the Chicago Red Stars, Gordon has never been on a team that missed the playoffs, and has played in 2 finals. She rules. But she also mainly played CB her last 2 seasons so who knows if she even wants to play on the outside again.

Honorable mentions: Casey Krueger (update: signed with Spirit) - if you rewatch Wave at Red Stars, you’ll understand. This would mean re-signing Westphal as well or promoting someone to RB. Deneisha Blackwood - saw her play 2 matches for Pumas in the Liga MX Femenil playoffs and I was sold. Carries the ball well, makes good runs, fast, and great vision for progressive passes.

Midfield: despite Colaprico and Shaw being massive upgrades to the midfield, there are too many times when it feels disjointed. 

This should be Stoney’s main focus and investment this offseason. While I would be happy with either Dunn or Lavelle, the latter’s injury history is concerning. Dunn has won trophies wherever she’s been and no one will forget the screamer she scored against us in 2022. (Update: Dunn and Lavelle signed with Gotham FC).

Forward: Alex Morgan had a bit of a down year coming off a 2022 season where she won the golden boot. She had a nightmare stretch from May 26 to Sept. 16 where she didn’t score a goal in 13 games (5 with USWNT). Maybe it was a case of overwork from a World Cup year, but it would be nice to have someone help her carry the load.

Enter Maria Sanchez. She had 4 goals and 4 assists, while the Houston Dash moved her from wing back, to left mid, to left wing. It would give Stoney the flexibility of replacing Doniak or using her up top with Morgan in a 4-4-2.

[Update 12/18/23: Sanchez signed with Houston for 3 years, with the contract worth $1.5M if the 4th year option is exercised. It’s the highest-paying contract in the league.

My international option would be Katty Martinez. Her nickname is Katty Killer, what more do you even need honestly. 

The Draft

One of the wrinkles to this offseason is the Expansion Draft. Every team will have to submit a list of 9 players they wish to protect from the expansion draft by Dec. 12. On Dec. 15, Bay FC and Utah Royals will take turns picking off unprotected players from teams around the league. No team can lose more than 2 players. There are other caveats, but one I know for sure is that Mel Barcenas doesn’t need to be protected. 

Another way to avoid getting players picked off is doing trades like this:

Despite the murkiness of these caveats though, I’ll try to list players I hope stay protected: 

Alex Morgan

Jaedyn Shaw

Danielle Colaprico

Naomi Girma

Kailen Sheridan

Abby Dahlkemper

̶K̶a̶l̶e̶i̶g̶h̶ ̶R̶e̶i̶h̶l̶ (traded to Utah Royals for draft protection )

Amirah Ali*

Taylor Kornieck**

*if they can give her regular minutes, even off the bench

**if Stoney can find her a consistent role in the team

While I listed 9, some of these listed might not need protecting, as well as some not listed might need automatic protecting, like those with no-trade clauses (no idea who those would be). Another thing to consider, I’m not sure if any FA signed before the expansion draft needs to be added to the protection list, hence the denotations for Ali and Kornieck.