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D.C. United announced today that they have waived forward Casey Townsend, taking the number of players currently in camp down to 28. Townsend was a first-round draft pick of Chivas USA in 2012, taken with the fifth overall pick out of the University of Maryland. D.C. United traded a second round pick for him at the beginning of 2013, and then loaned him to the Richmond Kickers. Injuries and poor performances recalled him to D.C., where he got only three starts and was never much of a factor, even on the worst team in MLS history. Cutting him now gives him a chance to join a lower division team, as their seasons do not start for another month or so.
With a number of trialists supposedly joining D.C. United in Charleston, roster space needed to be freed if any of those players were to have a chance to make the team. Given that Townsend has yet to make any appearances in the preseason, despite being healthy, this move was expected. That is in addition to the fact that Townsend has quickly slipped down the depth chart, and is now no better than the fifth forward. This move would also seem to indicate that United does not see any worth in loaning Townsend to Richmond to continue his development, which makes sense given the sheer number of young players on the team that will need playing time down I-95.
