Just like last year, this season ended for the Portland Timbers with a chance to make the playoffs on Decision Day, only to lose and head into the offseason under a cloud of uncertainty.
This season was a roller coaster, with long-time head coach Gio Savarese being let go in the summer then interim Miles Joseph leading the club on a strong run down the stretch before ultimately falling short.
The short version: With a head coach search underway and a ton of roster flexibility, Portland is one of the most intriguing MLS teams to watch this offseason.
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State of the roster
Head coach: Miles Joseph (interim, since 2023)
Chief soccer officer: Ned Grabavoy (since 2022)
The good
Club-record signing Evander had a solid debut season. He started slow but found a groove as the season went along and finished in the 84th percentile or better among No. 10s in MLS in non-penalty goals, shots and shot-creating actions. When compared to midfielders (and he played deeper occasionally) those numbers all shoot up to the 95th percentile or better.
Evander is a building block, and a big one. Eryk Willliamson is also one when healthy, but he suffered another season-ending ACL injury this year after enduring the same injry to a different knee in 2021. Argentine midfielder David Ayala is a talented rising midfielder as well. Diego Chara, 37, continued to kick father time away for another year.
Colombian winger Santi Moreno finished the season well, with three goals and two assists in his last nine games. He was a big part of the strong form at the end of the season. U-22 initiative winger Antony, who joined in the summer, is highly regarded around the club and his profile balances Moreno well.
Fullbacks Juan David Mosquera and Claudio Bravo have defensive flaws, but are talented, modern fullbacks and are both starting quality in this league (and Mosquera has a ton of potential). Center back Zac McGraw proved he’s a starting-level player in this league too.
There will be a lot of change but the Timbers are starting from a solid core.
The bad
Defense remains an issue, despite money thrown at all four starting spots and goalkeeper in recent years. Larrys Mabiala, once a top-tier center back in this league, only made nine starts and just turned 36. Summer addition Miguel Araujo only made two starts. The club hope he’s the long-term answer to anchor the backline.
Yimmi Chara battled injuries once again but, when fit, looked like a passenger more than a DP. He had only four goal contributions in 739 minutes. The Timbers haven’t gotten enough production from Chara in his four years at the club (30 goal contributions in 102 appearances).
The big frustration, again, was injuries. Williamson and Ayala both missed most of the season. Sebastian Blanco made only two starts. Felipe Mora returned from injury to make eight starts. Jaroslaw Niezgoda was ineffective in his 659 minutes before another season-ending injury.
At some point when a club has an injury crisis seemingly every year, there has to be an internal audit on how to improve that situation. It could still well be bad luck or injury-prone players, but it’s to the point that it’d be a weird season if Portland had less than two season-ending injuries to starters.
What could change
Portland won’t need to be creative to open a ton of flexibility. Jarosalw Niezgoda and Sebastian Blanco are out of contract, while Dairon Asprilla, Larrys Mabiala, Franck Boli and Bryan Acosta have club options.
That’s one DP (Niezgoda), one max-TAM salary (Blanco) and the team’s sixth-highest salary (Acosta) that could all come off the books. It’s a ton of flexibility. Yimmi Chara has one year left on his contract but is likely to depart as well, sources briefed on the team’s plans say. If that happens, it’s safe to assume there be two DP spots open (because Niezgoda ain’t coming back).
I’m expecting a huge offseason for Portland to take advantage of the chance to restock the roster around Evander, Moreno and more. A DP forward is the top target. A new starting goalkeeper too.
Sources with knowledge of the conversations say center back Dario Zuparic asked for a trade. Goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic already asked for a trade and was suspended the final three games of the season. There may be further outgoings in a transformative winter for the Timbers.
They’re wrapping up their head coaching search imminently and will have a new head coach for the first time since 2018 when Savarese took over (and led the team to an appearance in MLS Cup).
The infrastructure
At Providence Park, Portland has one of the strongest home-field crowds in the league. They are one of the bigger spenders in the league, currently seventh in discretionary DP spend (transfer fees + salaries), which is a good indicator of investment.
The academy, however, hasn’t provided much of anything to the first team as of yet.
Offseason priorities
Name a head coach
The Timbers will name a head coach within the next few weeks, sources briefed on the clubs plans say. The Athletic previously reported on the process, which included candidates like Phil Neville, Robin Fraser, Dome Torrent, interim Miles Joseph, one Liga MX-based manager and more.
Portland has had continuity and success over the last decade under Caleb Porter then Savarese. The hope is this is another long-term hire.
Sign a DP forward
A pressing issue on the pitch this season was a revolving door at center forward. No player had double-digit goals this season.
Mora is likely to be back, looking solid after returning from injury, but the club is still in the market for a DP forward. With a lot of roster resources opening up, and having just spent a $10 million fee on Evander, expectations are high.
Continue improving defense
Is Araujo the answer at center back? He was thrown in for his first start in the disastrous 5-0 loss to Houston that cost Savarese his job and didn’t quite settle in. Was it him or the circumstances? The Peru international has a strong profile and will get a full preseason to get ready.
While both Bravo and Mosquera are talented and love getting forward, the next head coach will need to find a better balance of when they go so not to get ripped in transition.
(Top photos: Getty Images)