Big F-ing Mike Edwards Loan to Charleston Battery: Burgundy Wave Reacts

COMMERCE CITY – Colorado Rapids have loaned center back Michael Edwards to USL Championship side Charleston Battery. This will be for the rest of 2025. Colorado has the option to recall Big F-ing Mike Edwards at anytime.

Edwards played in four MLS games last year with two starts and a goal. He played in 10 games for almost 800 minutes with Rapids 2 as well. In 2025, he has mostly been an unused substitute. His one appearance was off the bench against FC Dallas, in which he was involved in conceding a goal in a 3-3 draw.

“This move is a great opportunity for Michael to build on the progress he’s made with our club,” said Rapids Sporting Director Fran Taylor. “He’s shown steady growth over the past few seasons, and this loan gives him the chance to gain consistent minutes in a competitive setting. We’re looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop with Charleston.”

This is a good move for the player. He’ll be a starter in the second division against real pros. He’s his fifth season at the club. He’s clearly fourth choice at center back. Manager Chris Armas is playing a back four. He wasn’t going to be getting minutes over an Ian Murphy. This move will continue his development and hopefully help him prove he has a future at the club. The 24-year-old has a team option for 2026.

At the same time, this is his fifth year at the club. He spent 2021 on loan at Colorado Springs Switchbacks, who also play in the USL Championship. He’s played 42 games over three years for Rapids 2. Last year, he still couldn’t beat out Lalas Abubakar after Moïse Bombito got sold. It took Bombito half a season out of college to break into the starting lineup. At what point do you stop waiting for him to become an MLS starter and take a chance on a younger player?

That said, he immediately started three games for Battery. He went 109 minutes in the Open Cup against D.C. United. They’ve won his two starts in league play. Let’s see if he can take advantage from the opportunity. Maybe he proves himself that he’s a better player for Colorado come January. Or he proves that he’s a center back for a USL team to build around for the next five years.

Let’s see how big Big F-ing can get.

Main Photo Credit: Mark Shaiken

Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.