D.C. United Signs Former Earthquake Brandon McDonald To New Contract

When DC United acquired Brandon McDonald from the San Jose Earthquakes, we called it potentially a masterstroke from Dave Kasper and the United front office. Shipping away allocation money that we weren’t going to use this year anyway for a starting center back? Yeah, we’ll take it.

But there were concerns. Mainly, the concern was that McDonald, a 25-year old American with plenty of talent and even more upside, would leave for Europe in the offseason.

Even if that happened, this was a good trade. But now we know that’s not happening.

D.C. United announced yesterday that the team has signed McDonald to a contract extension. The terms of the deal were not released, but I think we’re safe to assume that he’ll be making at least double (and maybe closer to triple) his $45,000 salary for the this season.

McDonald has emerged as a leader for D.C.’s backline. He’s the type of strong veteran presence that we always thought Dejan Jakovic needed in partnership, and yet he’s still only 25. Since his acclimation into the team in early July, United has given up more than one goal only once, and earned three shutouts in eight matches.

This United team is built to last. With so much youth and so much potential in the team’s core, we’re bound to start losing players to bigger places and brighter dreams at some point. But we’re all glad to see McDonald sticking around at least for the near future.