D.C. United Season Review: Sean Franklin

Stage One of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry draft saw D.C. United take Bobby Boswell, who helped whip a reconstructed back four into shape and earn a Defender of the Year nomination in the process. But also in said draft, D.C. acquired right back Sean Franklin from the Los Angeles Galaxy, whose contributions to D.C.'s backline proved to vital in and of themselves.

One could say that they proved to be crystallized in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Red Bulls. Unable to start the first leg and was subbed on late, his absence showed in the road leg, and he started the home leg and scored the last goal of the season to boot. His performance through the year did not go unnoticed, as Matt Doyle deemed him to be the Fullback of the Year for 2014. Franklin took a slightly more involved role with D.C. than Los Angeles (as would be expected, since we have no Keane or Donovan), with slightly improved passing and shots numbers per game than predecessors James Riley and Chris Korb (per Whoscored). To a lesser degree, Franklin threw himself into his new team's community as well, with projects on and off the team radar, to the point where he was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Black and Red.

Franklin's MLS salary would presumably be one of the more entertaining parts of MLS. In April, Franklin was sitting on $275,000 base/$298,333 guaranteed. However, the September numbers showed a $178,333.32 base/$209,999.99 guaranteed figure. At the latter number, if legitimate, would presumably have Franklin (who will turn 30 shortly after the MLS regular season presumably begins) as one of the better bargains in Major League Soccer.

As one of the members of the toughest defense to score on in MLS, we ask several questions: first, do you protect him in the coming expansion draft? Does his fluctuating salary figure play any part in your decision and if so, how much? And finally: