After plummeting through a tough summer stretch, the Houston Dynamo FC is once again in an offseason of rebuilding with major decisions ahead for general manager Pat Onstad.
For starters, the club is searching for a head coach for a second consecutive year. More candidates have become available but none really stands out as a home run hire.
The other issue at hand, tied to the coaching search, is the makeup of the roster. Who will stay? Who will be let go? More importantly, what will be the quality of reinforcements and how much will the new coach in charge have a say?
Here's everything to keep an eye on this offseason:
Hector Herrera's road to Qatar
Now through Nov. 22 (Mexico's World Cup opener vs. Poland)
Houston Dynamo FC midfielder Hector Herrera is on a road to recovery to overcome a nagging right leg injury that has raised questions about how involved he could be with Mexico at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. After arriving midseason on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid, Herrera only saw the field on ten occasions, six as a starter, for a mere 682 minutes.
Herrera was absent between late August and early October after an ankle injury developed into thigh discomfort. He played a total of 62 minutes, coming on as a substitute, in his two matches before the end of the MLS regular season and will depart for Mexico City to continue his rehabilitation at the national team training ground.
The Mexican men's national team will have two friendlies at the Estadi Montilivi in Girona, Spain prior to its arrival in Qatar. These matches could serve as two final chances of getting in playing rhythm for Herrera:
- Nov. 9 - Mexico vs. Iraq
- Nov. 16 - Mexico vs. Sweden
Mexico will kick off its FIFA World Cup schedule on November 22 against Robert Lewandowski and Poland. Here are the three group stage encounters for El Tri:
- Nov. 22 - Mexico vs. Poland (Doha, Qatar)
- Nov. 26 - Mexico vs. Argentina (Lusail, Qatar)
- Nov. 30 - Mexico vs. Saudi Arabia (Lusail, Qatar)
Head coaching search
Ongoing until as late as January
One of the most important moves of the offseason will be made when general manager Pat Onstad chooses the next head coach of the first team. It will be the second hire in as many years and, considering the flexibility of adding another DP is essentially none, this will be a decision that has to be a home run.
Onstad has mentioned that the firing of former hire Paulo Nagamura on Labor Day was made in part to have enough time for a thorough coaching search. There are a variety of candidates available but the club has stressed its prioritization of those with MLS experience.
Two-day trade window
Nov. 7-9, beginning Monday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. CT
There’s a two-day trade window beginning the Monday after MLS Cup. Following a two-month roster freeze, MLS clubs could make adjustments to their rosters and conduct trades with other MLS teams during this trade window.
All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs. A blackout period begins on Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT and clubs may no longer sign and/or trade players until the conclusion of the MLS Expansion Draft.
Expansion draft
Friday, November 11
The 2022 MLS Expansion Draft will take place on November 11 as St. Louis CITY SC may select up to five players in preparation for their inaugural 2023 season. The Dynamo are eligible to lose a player after not having one selected in 2021 by Charlotte FC.
The Dynamo can protect 12 players from their Senior and Supplemental rosters. If a player has a no-trade clause in his contract, his MLS club must protect him, and he will count as one of the 12 players who may be protected.
If the Dynamo have a player selected in the Expansion Draft, the club will receive $50,000 in General Allocation Money. Clubs eligible for Compensatory Allocation under the CBA provision regarding bona fide offers to free agents shall not be eligible for an additional $50,000 of GAM if that player is selected in the Expansion Draft.
Generation Adidas players who have not graduated and Homegrown Players (players 25 years old and under in the year in which the Expansion Draft takes place) on a club’s Roster at the end of the 2022 MLS Season are automatically protected. Players that fit that category on the Dynamo roster are the following:
- Ethan Bartlow (Generation Adidas)
- Griffin Dorsey (Generation Adidas)
- Thorleifur Úlfarsson (Generation Adidas)
- Juan Castilla (homegrown)
- Marcelo Palomino (homegrown)
- Brooklyn Raines (homegrown)
- Daniel Rios (homegrown)
- Xavier Valdez (homegrown)
The list of players eligible for selection in the MLS Expansion Draft will be released by MLS Communications on Thursday, Nov. 10.
Deadline for Bona Fide offers and options
Monday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. CT
MLS clubs must submit to the MLS League Office, in writing, all Bona Fide offers and which players will have their options exercised, and which players will not have their options exercised. All roster decisions will be publicized by the individual clubs.
The following players have expiring contracts:
Corey Baird - Option
Darwin Ceren - End of contract
Sam Junqua - Option
Adam Lundkvist - Option
Fafa Picault - Option
Darwin Quintero - Option
Memo Rodriguez - Option
Daniel Steres - End of contract
Thiago - End of loan
Zarek Valentin - Option
Zeca - Club Option
Out-of-contract players who receive Bona Fide offers can still participate in Free Agency if they are eligible.
Free agency opens
Wednesday, Nov. 16, noon CT
Clubs may engage with players, other than their own, that are eligible for Free Agency. Free Agency eligible players are out-of-contract and option-declined players who are at least 24 years old and who have completed a minimum of five service years.
The MLSPA lists eight players from Houston as eligible for free agency.
Corey Baird - Option
Darwin Ceren - End of contract
Adam Lundkvist - Option
Fafa Picault - Option
Darwin Quintero - Option
Memo Rodriguez - Option
Daniel Steres - End of contract
Zarek Valentin - Option
MLS Communications will make the complete list of Free Agents available on Wednesday, Nov. 16. There is no limit on the number of Free Agents a team may sign each year.
Free Agent Players may re-sign with their current Club at any compensation subject to League approval in its discretion at any time prior to the beginning of Stage Two of the Re-Entry Draft (Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 12 p.m. ET).
Re-entry Draft: Stage One
Thursday, Nov. 17 - noon CT
The Re-Entry Process (Stage 1 and Stage 2) is conducted in reverse order of 2022 season finish, considering postseason performance. Expansion club St. Louis CITY SC will have the 29th position in each round.
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 list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Process – Stage 1 will be released by MLS Communications on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
End-of-Year Waiver Draft
Thursday, Nov. 17, 4 p.m. CT
The End-of-Year Waivers process is conducted in reverse order of 2022 season finish, considering postseason performance. Expansion club St. Louis CITY SC will get the 29th pick, the final selection in each round.
Eligible for selection are players who do not meet the minimum requirements for Re-Entry Process or Free Agency.End-of-Year Waivers. The list of players eligible for the End-of-Year Waivers will be released by MLS Communications on Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Re-entry Draft: Stage Two
Tuesday, Nov. 22 - 12 p.m. CT
The Re-Entry Process, Stage 2 is conducted in the same order as Stage 1 and consists of MLS players who were not selected in Stage 1. Not all unselected Stage 1 players will be available for selection as players may re-sign with their previous club between stages or may opt out of the process.
The list of players eligible for selection in the Re-Entry Process – Stage 2 will be released by MLS Communications on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
2023 MLS SuperDraft
Wednesday, Dec. 21
The 2023 MLS SuperDraft will consist of three rounds of player selection. The MLS SuperDraft order is set by taking the reverse order of the club standings at the end of each MLS season, taking postseason performance into account, with new expansion club St. Louis CITY SC at the top of the order.