Timbers Offseason Guide 2024-25

The important dates and events for Timbers supporters to monitor in the offseason.

Well folks, it’s that time of the year again: Silly season is upon us. And as was the case in 2022 and 2023, the Timbers are in for a long offseason following their absolute drubbing at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Wild Card Round.

If you’re a casual fan, this one might not be for you. If you’re an absolute MLS sicko like those of us who contribute to Stumptown Footy, here’s the list of things to keep an eye on throughout the winter months:

Half-Day Trade Window

To kick off the offseason MLS clubs will be able to conduct trades for a brief window on Monday, Dec. 9 (From 6 a.m. PT to 10 a.m. PT), and General Manager Ned Grabavoy has shown a willingness to swing intra-league trades in his two years overseeing roster construction.

Most recently Grabavoy acquired Mason Toye from CF Montreal after pulling off a deal with Phil Neville’s former club Inter Miami for Kamal Miller last winter. In 2023 Grabavoy traded for Bryan Acosta and dealt Bill Tuiloma to Charlotte for $900k in General Allocation Money.

MLS Expansion Draft

In case you were unaware, MLS is once again expanding its pool of clubs! San Diego FC will join the Western Conference starting in 2025, the first expansion team since St. Louis City SC joined the league in 2023, meaning the Timbers will have a shiny new Western Conference rival to deal with (One that has already signed Mexico international Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano — fun).

As is the case with every expansion side, the league will conduct an expansion draft for San Diego FC on Wednesday, Dec. 11, where the newbies will have an opportunity to select up to five players ahead of their inaugural season. MLS communications will release the list of players available for selection the day before the draft, with each of the 29 MLS clubs that competed in 2024 allowed to protect up to 12 players from their senior and supplemental rosters.

Rules of note for the Timbers:

• The club can only lose at maximum one player to San Diego FC. If a Timbers player is selected, the club will subsequently be removed from the expansion draft.

• If a player’s contract expires at the end of 2024 (i.e., Mason Toye and Marvin Loria), the club still have to protect that player or risk losing them in the draft.

• Designated Players (Evander, Jonathan Rodriguez) are not automatically protected.

• Generation Adidas players and homegrown players who are 25 or younger in 2024 (Tega Ikoba, Trey Muse, Hunter Sulte) are automatically protected.

• Clubs with four or more international players (Portland has seven international players) must protect at least three of them.

• If a Timbers player is selected the club will receive $50k in GAM.

We will be putting out our own list of who we think the club should protect in the expansion draft in the near future, so keep an eye out for that.

MLS Free Agency

Clubs will be officially eligible to engage with MLS free agents when free agency begins on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. PT. As previously mentioned, Mason Toye and Marvin Loria are the only two Timbers potentially eligible for free agency after Ned Grabavoy announced last week that Diego Chara has already agreed an extension to return to the club for a 15th season.

However, Toye and Loria both have team options that the Timbers can exercise should they want to keep either player. The deadline to exercise those options is Wednesday, Nov. 27. Should the Timbers decline either Toye or Loria’s option, they could still negotiate a new contract with either player, but they would be eligible to participate in free agency and speak with other clubs.

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, MLS will release the complete list of eligible free agents. In the meantime, the MLS Players Association have a list of players who could become free agents available to view.

Last offseason the Timbers signed James Pantemis and Maxime Crepeau to free agent contracts, and re-signed Eric Miller as well.

Waivers & Re-entry Process

I’m just going to post the exact quote from MLS on the Waivers process:

“The MLS End-of-Year Waivers process consists of players whose options are not exercised, who are not subject to first right of refusal, and who are not eligible for Free Agency or Re-Entry Draft.”

Veeery exciting stuff.

The re-entry draft takes place in two stages: ‘Stage 1’ on Friday, Dec. 13 and ‘Stage 2’ on Thursday, Dec. 19.

Like waivers, re-entry is entirely too confusing, so again, I’m just going to provide you MLS’ brief:

“Eligible Players include those who are at least 22 years old, have a minimum of one service year, and who are not eligible for Free Agency. An out-of-contract player who has received a BFO from his current club will not be eligible for the Re-Entry Draft. The MLS Cup presented by Audi champions will get the 29th pick, and expansion club San Diego FC will have the 30th.”

Largely, waivers and re-entry picks are supplemental or developmental flyers, and you probably won’t have to worry about them.

2025 MLS SuperDraft

The three round draft will take place on Friday, Dec. 20, and the order will be determined by the reverse order of the 2024 MLS standings, with San Diego holding the first pick of each round.

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What moves would you like to see the Timbers make within MLS? Any eyes on early free agents? Let us know below!