The 2023 MLS Preseason has begun for several of the league’s clubs, but many of the top free agents are still without a home for the upcoming season.
U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Sean Johnson, veteran striker Ola Kamara, and experienced defender Alexander Callens headline the list of 40 remaining MLS free agents following the conclusion of the league season. D.C. United and Minnesota United have the most representatives remaining in the free agent pool with four apiece.
Aaron Long, Derrick Etienne Jr, and Jake Nerwinski were among some of the top free agents to sign earlier this offseason.
The 2020 CBA established new rules for free agency in MLS. Instead of requiring players to be at least 28-years-old and to have at least eight years of MLS experience, the new CBA requires players to be at least 24-years-old and to have at least five years of MLS experience.
Here is a closer look of the remaining MLS free agents:
2022-23 MLS Free Agency List
Atlanta United
- Option Declined: Mikey Ambrose.
Austin FC
- Option Declined: Danny Hoesen.
Chicago Fire
- Out of Contract: Jonathan Bornstein.
FC Cincinnati
- Option Declined: Geoff Cameron, Ronald Matarrita.
Columbus Crew
- Option Declined: Jalil Anibaba, Erik Hurtado.
- Out of Contract: Marlon Hairston.
D.C. United
- Option Declined: Jon Kempin, Chris Odoi-Atsem.
- Out of Contract: Bill Hamid, Ola Kamara.
Houston Dynamo
Out of Contract: Darwin Ceren.
Inter Miami
- Option Declined: Joevin Jones.
- Out of Contract: Brek Shea.
L.A. Galaxy
- Option Declined: Richard Sanchez, Jorge Villafana, Eriq Zavaleta.
LAFC
- Out of Contract: Franco Escobar.
Minnesota United
- Option Declined: Abu Danladi, Oniel Fisher, Niko Hansen, Jacori Hayes.
Nashville SC
- Option Declined: Bryan Meredith.
- Out of Contract: Eric Miller.
New England Revolution:
- Option Declined: Ema Boateng, Clement Diop.
New York City FC
- Out of Contract: Alexander Callens, Sean Johnson.
New York Red Bulls
- Out of Contract: Kyle Duncan.
Real Salt Lake
- Option Declined: Nick Besler, Johan Kappelhof.
San Jose Earthquakes
- Option Declined: Tommy Thompson.
- Out of Contract: Eric Remedi.
Seattle Sounders
- Option Declined: Will Bruin.
Toronto FC
- Option Declined: Auro Jr.
Vancouver Whitecaps
- Option Declined: Cody Cropper, Tosaint Ricketts.
- Out of Contract: Florian Jungwirth.
N/A
- Option Declined: Andrew Putna.
houston has signed escobar and there are twitter photos of their former player ceren training with CD aguila back in el salvador.
Some of those listed appreaed for the USMNT—but never made a final Senior World Cup Roster.–Hedges, Hamid, Shea, Zardes, or Sacha K, never went to the World Cup. Seems that they are all getting a little long in the tooth though. Its a youg person’s game for sure.
i wouldn’t throw them all in one basket. kljestan wasn’t fully cooked in 2010 but 2014 he was pretty good but JK based on the struggling team made a tactical decision to go physical with jones beckerman bradley and disassembled the player set (kljestan, mixx, gringo) he had brought in to play more technical soccer and knock it around. people act like GB was the first time we tried to play passing soccer and JK at least tried his version with technical players. by 2018 kljestan was falling off when we could really have used anyone who could play mid well and create.
hamid has had about 3 coaches’ worth of chances then had gaffes like ES U23 and ireland.
zardes i think suffered for being moved around.
hedges, shea, i mean, i barely remember them being up.
Hey TIV—–
I’m with you on that. My post was response to MidWest Ref– when Ives had the story up a week or so agao—- but I just posted rather than hitting the reply button (I’m bad at tech and proofreading my work before I post– HA!).
I appreciate your spot on analysis concerning fan’s perceptions of GB being the first to try to pass around. I remember those experiments that you referenced!
Not to get too far off the subject — but I’m one of those USMNT fans that cares primarily about the results— irregardless of what the soccer looks like. The way I see it—– at international level— its the results that matter— and not much else.
Peace!
Goalies of the future Sean Johnson and Bill Hamid now on waivers.
We have an all WC 2000’s defense in Geoff Cameron, Aaron Long, Matt Hedges and Jon Bornstein.
A couple ex-WC midfielders/forwards in Brek Shea and Gyasi and Sacha K.
And Wil Bruin – I thought he was already coaching somewhere?
Time catches up to us all.
father time is undefeated. i don’t think these are all in the same place. seanjohn is in the ascendant and my bet is he wants $750k-1m, and the question is will someone pay the going rate. long might be taking a look at europe. vs. some of the others either suck, are going to retire, or suffer from wanting a continued good salary for their veteran tenure while faltering as an actual player ie “adu syndrome.”
to me the nature of the beast this point in the free agent cycle is it will be the prize players holding out for money, the scrubs no one wants, and the ones with an inflated opinion of self. the easiest ones to buy are the solid but average ones with a reasonable price.
i say that, i read long is going to LAFC ie the champion. i think that’s just a matter of pen to paper. and when LAFC grabs someone that’s not the market saying he sucks.