Thorns announce roster status, setting the stage for Free Agency and Expansion Draft.

The Thorns announced their first round of roster moves as we approach the first big moments of the offseason.

After the departure of two club legends, the Portland Thorns announced their first round of roster moves. Via a press release last week the team shared which players remain under contract for the 2024 NWSL season, which players are set to depart the club, and which players are set to hit free agency.

The moves set the stage for the first major offseason events: the Expansion Draft and Free Agency.

Photo Credit: Portland Thorns FC

Roster Status

The bulk of Portland’s roster is still under contract for the 2024 season. To be specific, Janine Beckie, Hannah Betfort, Bella Bixby, Sam Coffey, Izzy D’Aquila, Shelby Hogan, Kelli Hubly, Lauren Kozal, Emily Menges, Olivia Moultrie, Meaghan Nally, Reyna Reyes, Rocky Rodríguez, Sophia Smith, Hina Sugita and Morgan Weaver are all inked with Portland for next year.

Additionally, the team is currently still in ongoing contract talks with Gabby Provenzano, who is out of contract.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean all of those signed players will be in a interestingly-tattooed Thorns shirt in 2024 — but we’ll get to that.

Three players who know for sure will not be returning to the Thorns are Natalie Beckman, Michelle Vasconcelos, and Rikke Sevecke.

Beckman, the 48th pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft, made 15 appearances across all competitions during her time with the Thorns, totaling around 430 minutes of game time. She is out of contract and set to hit the NWSL Re-Entry Wire. Vasconcelos, who originally came to Portland as a national team replacement player in 2022, had her mutual option to return in 2024 decline, and she was recently signed by the returning Utah Royals FC as a free agent. Sevecke, who barely had two months as Thorns player, didn’t even see the field in her very brief time in Portland.

In addition the announced movement, the Thorns also announced the players that are set to become free agents. In addition to Crystal Dunn (who previously announced her intention to leave Portland), Meghan Klingenberg, Tegan McGrady, Becky Sauerbrunn and Christine Sinclair are all set to become unrestricted free agents. Natalia Kuikka and Taylor Porter are restricted free agents, which means that if either player receives a FA offer from another team Portland has seven days to match it and re-sign them — otherwise the player may sign with that other team.

You can read the team’s full press release here.

What this means for Free Agency & the Expansion Draft

None of the above moves sit in a vacuum this year, as there is the looming specter of an Expansion Draft awaiting the Thorns next month. In addition, if Portland wants to return to the top perch of the NWSL, there are some key free agency decisions that the Thorns will have to make as well.

Some teams, like expansion sides Bay FC and Utah Royals FC, have already made free agency signings, signaling that they’re not waiting to start their business.

However, it may be in Portland’s best interest to wait to start theirs — at least until after December 15.