Expansion Protected List Released Today

The protected list for tomorrow's expansion draft for FC Cincinnati has been released, the Rapids protected:

• Kellyn Acosta
• Nana Boateng
• Marlon Hairston
• Tim Howard
• Niki Jackson
• Nicolas Mezquida/Zac MacMath (both were protected but its unclear which one was protected by the Rapids and who was protected by the Whitecaps)
• Sam Nicholson
• Jack Price
• Dillon Serna*
• Tommy Smith
• Deklan Wynne

and then automatically protected by their Homegrown Status are:

• Cole Bassett
• Kortne Ford
• Sam Vines

*Dillon Serna is a senior roster player now, so despite being a homegrown he's no longer automatically protected in an expansion draft and we must use a spot to protect him.

This leaves the following unprotected: Barnes, Blomberg, Boli, Calvert, Castillo, Colvey, Da Fonte, Dykstra, Gashi, Hamilton, Martinez, Sjoberg, Wilson.

I can't say there are any surprises here.  A bit of an eyebrow raise as Gashi being unprotected but that's probably a (safe) bet that Cincinnati won't want to take his DP contract on.  The only real question is protecting Boateng or Wynne over Sjoberg.

I expect Cinci is taking a long look at Sjoberg tonight but in the end will probably pass on all the available Rapids players.  I can't see them being interested in anyone other than Sjoberg from our unprotected list.  There are likely 5 better players for them elsewhere.