Griffin Dorsey won't be Alex Freeman, but he's an above-average MLS starter who can slot right in at RB, hold the width, and let Marco Pasalic find the game in the right halfspace. Not cheap, but a useful pickup for Orlando. Curious to see how Houston fill their hole at RB.

I love doing these "deep-in-the-weeds predictions" for @backheeled.com's MLS previews. Gives me a chance to get nerdy. If you want to be the smartest MLS fan in your group chat, check out these previews. Transfers. Tactics. Predictions. More...for all 30 teams! www.backheeled.com/mls-2026-sea...

All 30 MLS team previews for the 2026 season are live on Backheeled.com. It’s a full league guide to the new season, complete with depth charts, tactics, and questions — all in one place. 𝗨𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗟𝗦 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 ⤵️

LIVE LIVE LIVE LIVE www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbHK...

okay, genuinely very cool to see @backheeled.com as the first search result when you google "mls season preview"! a crazy amount of insight on all 30 teams awaits you 🔮 www.backheeled.com/mls-2026-sea...

BJ Callaghan's impact got lost a bit in the national shuffle last year, but the guy has done some impressive work completely shifting Nashville SC's tactical identity and raising their ceiling at the same time. Quality of coaching in MLS has never been higher. BJ's got a bright future.

If you're an MLS fan — or if you're trying to become one! — @backheeled.com's team-by-team previews are a great resource. Context. Transfers. Expectations. Tactics. Stars. Young talents. Depth charts. Predictions. And more...for all 30 teams! Read ⤵️ www.backheeled.com/mls-2026-sea...

Our team-by-team MLS previews are live at @backheeled.com 👀 You can binge all 30 previews right up until Saturday's first kick. Or, you can just read about your favorite team and hate-read about your biggest rival. Whatever floats your boat. Read ⤵️️

if silver is good enough for chloe kim, it's good enough for me

This doesn't top my "things I'm most curious about in MLS this year" list, but it's up there: Can Emiro Garces get back to his '24 self for the LA Galaxy? Competition for minutes is much tougher at center back with Glesnes and Haak there. But Garces has elite physical traits. Fastest MLS player.

(Re)introducing the 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤! 🔍 ⚽️ The concept is simple - a listener-led network of scouts assessing some of the best young players in world soccer! Your reports will be used on TSS and TSS+ bonus episodes every week.

Proud to make my writing debut with @backheeled.com Huge thanks to @joeclowery.bsky.social for the opportunity and @marcmachado.bsky.social for helping make it happen.

Huge deal for the Kickers, and for #USL-1 overall. The 19-year-old center back was part of the #U20MNT Training Camp in January after logging more than 4,000 minutes in league and #USLCup play over the past two seasons.

Doyle is one of one and you should support his new venture. Not an exaggeration to say I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without him. No one has influenced my writing more. He's going to crush this next step.

more than 40,000(!) words previewing every single MLS team coming to @backheeled.com on monday, kicking off our biggest season of MLS coverage yet i think you should subscribe won't find what we're doing anywhere else

🇨🇴 Does James to Minnesota United make sense? 🪵 Portland Timbers have an open DP spot now! 🔴 New York Red Bulls' offseason overhaul continues 👍 Best (and worst) offseasons + more superlatives Had a blast, as always, chatting MLS on the @totalsoccershow.bsky.social ⤵️

📝 Sources: Atletico Dallas has hired former FC Dallas interim Peter Luccin as the club's first-ever manager. Luccin served as FC Dallas interim coach in '24. The club hired Eric Quill for the full-time job instead. Atletico will join the USL Championship in 2027. Big get.

📝 Sources: Atletico Dallas has hired former FC Dallas interim Peter Luccin as the club's first-ever manager. Luccin served as FC Dallas interim coach in '24. The club hired Eric Quill for the full-time job instead. Atletico will join the USL Championship in 2027. Big get.

Even MLS's shortest average away trip is nearly double the Premier League's longest trip — and travel isn't close to even for all 30 MLS teams ✈️ But does travel distance actually matter? Maybe not as much as we think, writes @aclausen90.bsky.social. Read ⤵️

I'm not sure this will work & MLS teams with people smarter than me passed on James, but: It's easy to like this move. The guy put up 12 non-penalty goal contributions in 2,200 minutes with Leon in '25 and joins as a low-risk short-term signing for a team that needs more central attacking talent.

This LAFC team is going to be truly exceptional. Depending on whether you think Inter Miami is going to be "great" or "historically great", LAFC is either a "Tier 1" or "Would Be Tier 1 If Inter Miami Didn't Exist" team heading into 2026.

The James Rodriguez Mania has hit MLS 🥁 @empiregass.bsky.social & special guest @joeclowery.bsky.social debrief the expected move, plus talk about San Diego’s legendary start in CCC and more!

I have some beachfront property in South Dakota that I'd like Rodolfo Borrell to sell for me. Borrell's DP hit-rate has been tragic. But the guy finds exits (Driussi, Bukari, now maybe Uzuni) like nobody's business.

🇨🇴 James Rodriguez to Minnesota United 🔝 My favorite moves of the MLS offseason 🌎 CCC is underway and San Diego FC look great 🟢 Obed Vargas' dream move to Atleti I'm live on @soccerwisehq.bsky.social right now ⤵️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh6Y...

I assumed James Rodriguez was washed but he's actually really good still?! Looks like his mobility is mostly gone, but he's still a wizard. The shot quality numbers are also much better than I expected

With respect to Arman, I totally disagree. FC Dallas fans should be extremely frustrated with the team basically punting on the 2026 season by playing a huge chunk of it with just one DP. Petar Musa is elite. They've had months(!) to find him a DP 10 running mate. Now needlessly short-handed.

san diego, over, lock

Source: North Texas SC has signed former Duke goalkeeper Eryk Dymora 🧤 The 23-year-old arrives in MLS Next Pro after an impressive 2025 college season as Duke’s starting keeper. Former Monmouth standout.

NEW episode of the @totalsoccershow.bsky.social! @joeclowery.bsky.social, Taylor, and I examine Obed Vargas' move to Atleti and how Seattle is equipped to get by. Plus Bouanga's latest fit, Timo Werner joins a fun San Jose side, and the Whitecaps' sad state of limbo. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhFv...

I think Pedro Guimaraes might be the best non-Diego Luna teenager to play in USL. The 17-year-old is a smooth, technical outside back who's skilled with both feet. Well done to Orange County in identifying him from LAFC's academy, playing him, and moving him to the Bundesliga.

I'm not sure how much gas James Rodriguez has left in the tank, but this move absolutely rules regardless. If you needed a sign that Minnesota United are going to play more actual soccer this year in the post Eric Ramsay era, here you go.

Along with Alphonso Davies to Bayern + Jhon Duran to Villa, Obed Vargas' move to Atletico Madrid is one of the biggest in MLS history. Vargas is a tremendous young player — strong defensively, savvy off-ball, and functional on it. His story is nothing short of amazing.

Sam's the best. Read his stuff and subscribe to Five Stripe Final if you're an Atlanta United fan (or if you want to get smarter about soccer and/or derive more enjoyment from reading about it.)

you know what? why not

there's a real live game involving an MLS team tomorrow i'm as shook about this as you all are, i assure you (san diego fc vs. pumas, concacaf champions cup, we're so back)

Source: New England Revolution has loaned Jack Panayotou to USL Championship club Loudoun United 🔴 @rkeefer.bsky.social 1st reported that a move was close. Panayotou, 21, is a promising midfielder talent. Big get for Loudoun, who beat out other clubs for the Revs homegrown.

Source: Charleston Battery have acquired Nathan Messer from Portland Hearts of Pine in a permanent transfer 🤝 Messer had 6 goals + 5 assists in 2025 and finished second among fullbacks in USL League One in xG+xA Yet another League One to Championship move in the USL offseason.

I suspect Timo Werner is going to absolutely crush in MLS in an increasingly athletic, rangy San Jose Earthquakes team. The guy will torch MLS defenders in transition.

Source: 17-year-old Mexican youth int'l Viggo Ortiz is heading to Charlotte Independence from Charleston Battery. Charleston will retain a sell-on clause. Ortiz, who scored his first pro goal for the Battery in ’25, will have a bigger path to minutes in USL League One.

This is not the final product but we’re so happy with the way the cover turned out that we wanted to share. 🎨: @kevinnewburn.bsky.social You can pre-order IV here: sounderatheart.bigcartel.com/products Reminder: the magazine release party is on Feb. 20 at Project 9 Brewing Co.

Sources: MLS Next Pro club CT United, led by former New York Red Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett, have signed goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg 🧤 The 26-year-old goalkeeper spent the last three seasons with Greenville Triumph in USL League One where he made 62 starts.

Wow. With Chicho Arango + Cristian Espinoza + Josef Martinez all gone this offseason, the San Jose Earthquakes have now lost 44 goal contributions in a single winter. Huge, huge turnover. Reason to worry.

Joao Klauss isn’t the flashy DP signing we may expect from the Galaxy, but I really like the pickup for LA. ▪️ Klauss under contract for ‘26, helping LA avoid a DP logjam in ‘27 ▪️ Fills position of need ▪️ Solid distributor + presser, should help make LA more well-rounded Good analysis from Ben ⬇️

As USL plans major infrastructural increases, I wonder about the upside for club owners. There's not real rev sharing in USL. Expansion fees stay at USL HQ. Clubs pay yearly dues to USL HQ. Even when teams do turn a (very rare) profit, 49% of that goes to USL HQ. Interesting times ahead.

Huge move for Alex Freeman, who’s absolutely at the level to make an impact for Villarreal. The timing of a move now is interesting — and not totally without risk when it comes to form and fitness ahead of the World Cup. But Freeman is a very good young player. Promising move.

With less than a month until the 2026 MLS season starts, rosters are getting finalized. Chicago, Austin, Columbus, and LAFC are largely running things back. Toronto FC finally decided to rebuild after years of bad results, returning fewer than 50% of minutes from 2025.

On the surface, it’s business as usual in the USL Championship. Behind the scenes, CBA talks have been "frustratingly unproductive". Is a work stoppage brewing? @usltactics.com examines where negotiations stand on key topics, from hotels to healthcare ⤵️

Super cool: The @tntsportsus.bsky.social broadcast of today's #USWNT friendly features graphics for both in-possession and out-of-possession formations. Coverage matching the realities on the ground!!

Sources: DC United has acquired Alex Bono in a trade from the New England Revolution in exchange for a small amount of GAM 🧤 The 31-year-old returns to DC, joining a goalkeeping room headlined by free agent signing Sean Johnson.

Jeff is one of the absolute best. It’s been a joy working with him over the years and I’m truly excited to see what he cooks up in this next chapter. Legend.