MLS Re-Entry Draft: Josh Wolff Acquired By D.C. United
by Martin Shatzer on Dec 15, 2025 8:14 PM EST
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PrintPretty much everyone, including both writers on this blog, expected D.C. United to select either Juan Pablo Angel or Jimmy Conrad. The names Cory Gibbs and Ryan Cochrane had also come up as possibly attractive options. One big name was largely overlooked though, and United surprised most of us by selecting two-time World Cup forward Josh Wolff.
The former Kansas City Wizards player scored 11 goals in 2009, but just three goals and three assists last year as he battled minor injuries and a formation change that didn't benefit him. He's experienced and possesses leadership qualities that Chris Pontius is excited to learn from. Wolff is an immediate upgrade over Danny Allsopp, and he's likely to play a similar role with the club. The biggest difference between the two forwards is that I expect Wolff to make everyone around him better. Allsopp seemed to somehow make them worse.
Hard working. High energy. Aggressive. Intelligent. But not necessarily the most physically impressive.
Who does that describe?
Josh Wolff, yes. Also Dax McCarty. Also Ben Olsen.
The Coach is putting his stamp on this team, there's no doubt. We've been using "Olsen's Army" as a fanbase to describe ourselves as supporters of the legendary former player. "Olsen's Army" may have a greater meaning though. Benny is building himself an Army of Olsens.
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Great move
Wolff should have plenty of gas left in the tank to score some goals, but like Pontius mentioned, his experience is going to be invaluable. I think all of our attackers can learn a thing or two from him, actually. He’s not as sexy an option as JPA, but the price tag seems pretty good and he knows the game.
by Sunspot on Dec 15, 2025 8:45 PM EST reply actions
Question about the JPA pick
When I saw that JPA was picked by Galaxy, I also saw this below Goff’s Soccer Insider list
The Galaxy acquired Houston’s pick and selected Angel, who earned $1.9 million this year
The fact that Houston is partially owned by AEG made me wonder if Houston and Los Angeles were collaborating to enhance any players value to AEG, not necessarily to the team by sending the best players to LA. if JPA is signed to a DP contract, then that would make three DPs for Los Angeles and none for Houston although the official website for Dynamo said they would look for DPs (http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/12/2010-review-dynamo-offseason-checklist).
I could be entirely wrong about this. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, and I’m still learning about the MLS and the business side of it. From my limited knowledge, even the appearance of collusion doesn’t seem good. Nobody might want to even expose it because AEG has been a great supporter of MLS. I also wonder if there is a case of a single company having at least majority ownership over two teams in the same league other than the AEG example.
Any insight into this matter would be greatly appreciated.
by HobbesLionheart on Dec 15, 2025 9:33 PM EST reply actions
Good question
There’s no doubt that MLS and especially AEG are desperate to get Beckham back to the title game. Did Houston get fair value? Possibly not, though if JPA’s rights were worth much more than that, he would have been picked by a team willing to trade him to LA.
I want to add that I did predict on Soccer Insider that the pick was likely to be either Conrad or Wolff, with a slim reed of a chance they’d grab Schelotto. Wolff was a combination of filling a need, in part at least, and affordability.
by fischy on Dec 16, 2025 2:16 AM EST up reply actions
Value
Dom Kinnear has said that Houston weren’t planning on picking anybody - they were going to pass. So to them, their pick had very little value, and anything they got above zero is positive value as far as they’re concerned. Could they have held out for a better deal from LA? Maybe, but this doesn’t smell too bad to me. Savvy move by LA; Houston getting “something” (even a 4th rd Superdraft pick) rather than the nothing they had before.
by The AMT on Dec 16, 2025 6:23 AM EST up reply actions
I reread the rules of the re-entry draft and it’s a bit tricky. I was wondering why didn’t Houston simply acquire JPA and trade him for more than a fourth round draft pick or why didn’t DC United select JPA and trade him away, but it seems that the club must make a genuine offer within seven days. If the offer is rejected, then other clubs can negotiate with the player, however, with the drafting club having the option of matching the offer.
That said, drafting players that you have no intention of signing is risky in two ways: 1. the player might actually sign and you’ll be stuck with the player and his salary and 2. other teams might call your bluff and just wait until seven days passed and either leave you paying the bill if you don’t want the player to walk away or taking away a RED pick that you could have used for someone you really wanted to sign (if anyone).
Had Dom Kinnear and/or Houston held their cards close to the vest, they could have drafted JPA and trade him without even making an offer without other teams realizing that Houston had no intention of signing him. Again that’s where AEG comes into the picture as I cannot be 100% confident that both teams are operating independently. If Houston traded its slot to Colorado or another team other than LA, then this discussion wouldn’t be happening.
Maybe it will all come out someday in the book, “Angel in America: Juan’s Story”.
by HobbesLionheart on Dec 16, 2025 7:30 PM EST up reply actions
Colorado is owned by AEG too. (At least I think they still are). Point taken though.
by BrunoReturns on Dec 16, 2025 7:46 PM EST up reply actions
Colorado was founded and owned by AEG for a while until Stan Kroenke bought the team in 2004 per Wikipedia.
Another interesting tidbit about Stan
In 2006, Kroenke, in partnership with the money manager Charles Banks, (In April 2009, Banks stated he was no longer involved with Screaming Eagle) acquired the Napa Valley winery Screaming Eagle
Maybe see if he wants to invest in D.C. United with our Screaming Eagles.
by HobbesLionheart on Dec 16, 2025 10:09 PM EST up reply actions
Hejduk for Sassano
If you want fishy smelling moves, look no further. KC selects a player and then trades that player straight up for a player selected three picks later?
I haven’t heard of anything additional in that deal, so it makes no sense to me whatsoever. Of course, LA trading for Hejduk makes even less sense, given the fabulous young defenders that are already on that team.
by BrunoReturns on Dec 16, 2025 8:32 AM EST up reply actions
Hejduk might have informed KC that he would not play for them at any price, so they shipped him for somebody else they could actually sign?
by The AMT on Dec 16, 2025 10:22 AM EST up reply actions
Great point
Its pretty tough to surf in KC. Dude.
Managing Editor for BlackAndRedUnited.com. Weekend Writer for SBNation DC.
by Martin Shatzer on Dec 16, 2025 10:30 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
its tough to surf in KC because its landlocked. Brah
by Zach J on Dec 17, 2025 11:59 PM EST up reply actions
You’re just not tryin’ hard enough, Brosephs.
by The AMT on Dec 18, 2025 12:24 PM EST up reply actions
AEG Has Not Been a Great Supporter of MLS
It has been a great supporter of LAG and Chicago Fire.
Everyone else it has shit on.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Dec 16, 2025 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
Skeptical
I want to be excited about this pick, I really do. When he came back to the league, I immediately put him into my fantasy team. I haven’t been thrilled by him since, and that 11 goal number is shocking to me. Especially since I think KC’s offense was pretty bad that year.
He is an obvious upgrade over anyone who was on the field last year, but who isn’t?
In then end, I just have very little faith in the FO. I am forced to view all moves in the most negative light. I am also forced to look at the fact that this is one more of Onalfo’s horrible Wizards that has ended up playing for United.
by BrunoReturns on Dec 16, 2025 8:28 AM EST reply actions
I'm With Him
I am with Skeptical on this one. This pick seems like the affordable choice - he agreed to terms immediately and it was for less than his current $220,000 contract. I would have been more excited by a Conrad pick, who could have really helped the back line, and having United looked overseas or stick with their development to find some offense options.
by SerieATalk on Dec 16, 2025 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
the vision thing
I think Mr. Shatzer is on to something. This is beginning to look like Bennyball. Ever since I had the intuition before Olsen was named as coach that he had something to do with the Dax McCarty pickup, it’s seemed to me like the FO is no longer really calling the shots on player acquisition, and there’s a coherence to the moves made so far that has not been apparent the past two off-seasons. To me, the turning point was the Boskovic-Hernandez acquisitions. Now maybe it’s just the case that when you’re where DCU was before that point, everything that isn’t a disaster looks like coherent positive change. But I think there’s more to it than that. Olsen is smart and he seems to have his head on these decisions.
by dccal on Dec 16, 2025 11:59 AM EST reply actions
4-2-3-1
If we go with a 4-2-3-1 formation, we have to call it the “One Man Wolff Pack” formation.
by Zach J on Dec 18, 2025 12:01 AM EST reply actions
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