Colorado Rapids Roster Decisions: Analyzing the Start to the Offseason

COMMERCE CITY – Colorado Rapids announced their year-end roster decisions Wednesday morning. This included decisions to pick up and decline 2025 team options on several players as well as other roster information. Let’s break it all down.

Players under contract for 2025 (22): Daouda Amadou, Cole Bassett, Adam Beaudry, Kévin Cabral, Reggie Cannon, Daniel Chacón, Omir Fernández, Wayne Frederick, Calvin Harris, Nate Jones, Oli Larraz, Jasper Löffelsend, Andreas Maxsø, Djodje Mihailović, Rafael Navarro, Connor Ronan, Keegan Rosenberry, Zack Steffen, Kimani Stewart-Baynes, Jackson Travis, Sam Vines, Darren Yapi

2025 team options exercised (4): Calvin Harris, Nate Jones, Oli Larraz, Keegan Rosenberry

2025 team options declined (5): Lalas Abubakar, Sebastian Anderson, Ethan Bandré, Rémi Cabral, Michael Edwards

In Discussions (4): Lalas Abubakar, Sebastian Anderson, Michael Edwards, Jonathan Lewis

Out of contract (1): Jonathan Lewis

On loan with option to buy and team option for 2025 (1): Miguel Navarro

Players who had options exercised:

Larraz had a breakout season from the get go. Colorado would have picked up his option in June if they could. Calvin Harris called 2024 his best season ever as a professional. At times, he was the clear best option at right winger. These were no brainers.

Burgundy Wave can confirm Rosenberry’s option was automatically picked up via a performance criteria stipulated in his contract. The first year captain is a valued veteran voice and fullback for the club.

Nate Jones played almost 2,000 minutes for Rapids 2. He wasn’t a first team factor but this was his first year as a professional. In the words of Club President Pádraig Smith, “6’4″ left footed center backs don’t grow on trees.” He needs time.

Players with uncertain futures:

Bandré was a third body in training and Rapids fans should trust Chris Sharpe in making goalkeeper decisions. Colorado either signs another young keeper to try and develop (Zackory Campagnolo Homegrown anyone?) or they sign an MLS vet to back up Steffen. If it’s the latter, maybe Beaudry goes out on loan to get playing time. Bandré should at least find a home back in MLS NEXT Pro.

Rémi Cabral lit up NEXT Pro in 2023. He spent most of 2024 on loan at Phoenix Rising. Played in 23 games, recorded 7 goals, 1 assist. He’s 25. There’s younger players at his position with more potential on this team. A USL Championship team will pick him up.

Abubakar had a massive pay raise the last two years with a guaranteed compensation just over $700,000. We know what his ceiling is. You can’t pay that much for that output, especially if Colorado gets a U22 center back in January to replace Moïse Bombito and Lalas starts the year on the bench. The club is talking to him. I think they meet in the middle salary wise and “Big Man” Abubakar stays here and is his happy vibes self. Two years, team option for 2027, $500,000 per year. Abubakar can choose to go through the re-entry draft if he wants to see if an MLS team is willing to pick up his 2025 option.

Mike Edwards and Seb Anderson are at a cross roads. They’re too good for NEXT Pro. They were clearly bench players in 2024. Both could easily find a club in the USLC where they would start. There’s more than one rebuilding MLS teams they could get more minutes at.

Edwards was on $130,000 and Anderson was at $150,000. Both players likely had slight pay raises in their 2025 options. If I understand the Reserve Minimum Salary rules (god this league is complicated), Homegrowns can make ~$196,000 and still take up a Supplemental Roster Slot, i.e. not a Senior Roster Slot. The club wants to renegotiate so they don’t take up one of those 20 Senior Roster Slots given they were bench players this past year. By the time their new contracts make them have to be Senior players compensation wise, they’ll hopefully progress to that on the field.

Is Edwards capable of winning the starting spot at center back in preseason? Is Anderson happy to stay in Colorado even if it means being the fourth choice fullback where he’ll be an unused sub most weeks? He had a great finish to 2023. Then Rosenberry, who’s slowed his growth got named captain. Then they signed Cannon, who’s played at both right and left fullback. I think both players return to the Rapids next year but I’m officially Team Free Anderson. Let the kid go somewhere he can start.

Jonathan Lewis is a free agent for the first time in his career. He’s been a good servant to the club. He’s occasionally misunderstood. When he’s on, he’s the best winger on the team. Maybe a change of scenery would do him good. If I had to guess, he signs somewhere else.

Lastly, Miguel Navarro is under contract but is still on loan with Talleres in Argentina with an option to buy. Burgundy Wave is unaware of when that offer expires. Talleres end league play December 14. Navarro might depart having never actually played for Colorado, but possibly for a profit.

Last Word: Mostly full roster

Right now Colorado has 22 players under contract for next year. This time last year, that number was at 24. Granted, there were more cuts and additions to be made. This roster doesn’t have the gaping holes it did last year.

Smith has said the club wants to make upgrades at center back, winger, and defensive midfielder. There’s an open U22 spot to use there. Add in a third goalkeeper, a couple re-signed players, and a draft pick, this roster is set. There needs to be big moves this January. Just not as many as last year.

Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

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