On this week’s episode (#336) of 3rd Degree the Podcast, we played “Dump or Keep,” in which we went through the entire FC Dallas roster, giving our takes on which players should be kept and which sent packing. If you are interested in our take, give it a listen.
This article is, instead, a prediction of which player’s contract options will be exercised or declined by FC Dallas.
There are 24 players under contract: Lalas Abubakar, Christian Cappis, Louicius Deedson, Patrickson Delgado, Bernard Kamungo, Shaq Moore, Petar Musa, Maarten Paes, Paxton Pomykal, Ramiro, Osaze Urhoghide, Kaick, Enes Sali, Logan Farrington, Michael Collodi, Alvaro, Diego Garcia, Sam Sarver, Josh Torquato, Enzo Newman, Daniel Baran, Malachi Molina, Geovane Jesus, and Tsiki Ntsabeleng.
Your mileage may vary.
Contract Options
There are 12 players with contract options.
Sebastian Ibeagha is liked by the coaching staff for his work and leadership. You saw that he was mostly first choice until the season’s end. Yet the contract option will likely go up over $700k for a player that *shouldn’t* be first choice in 2026 at 34 years of age. I think FCD will try and get him to do a 2-year cheap contract as a depth piece. Prediction: Negotiating.
Anderson Julio was FCD’s most impactful player in the first half of the season, when they were bad. After his injury, when FCD was good, Julio wasn’t able to reclaim his spot in the XI. His contract has been flat for years with a base $750. That might be too steep for a backup, but it’s a hill I don’t want to die on. Prediction: Decline option, with a chance of negotiating.
Sebastian Lletget looked positive to start the year, but a combination of age and injuries seems to be catching up to him. He’s not capable of 90 minutes or even much over a half (the playoff final looked solid for a half). But his current $800k probably goes to $900 on the option, so that’s going to have to be a pass. And I don’t think he will take less to play here when he might be able to get something similar to play in California. Prediction: Decline option.
Pedrinho can show great skill in moments, and Coach Quill seems to like him, Acosta rebellion aside. He’s too inconsistent for my taste, I would pass, but he’s cheap and young’ish (23 next April). Prediction: Pick up option.
Nolan Norris is on the cusp of his full-time breakthrough, and German clubs keep sniffing around. So it’s a given to pick up his option even if he moves into the senior roster, as he’s part of the future plans around here. He’s 21 in February. Prediction: Pick up option.
Anthony Ramirez isn’t even 20 yet (he won’t be until next month), and his Homegrown contract has less security than others with options triggering in season two. He’s not broken into the rotation yet, but he has talent. He’s worth picking up, I think. Prediction: Pick up option.
Herbert Endeley tore his ACL on loan with Colorado Switchbacks. There are too many right backs on the roster anyway. At 24, he just hasn’t shown enough to stick around. Prediction: Decline option.
Alejandro Urzua has been a homegrown for three seasons and is entering a relatively expensive option at 19. If you haven’t heard the name, it’s because he’s been on the North Texas SC roster the entire time, as a series of injuries has hampered his development. Ale finally started to play a bunch at the end of this season, so I would keep him. But I don’t think FCD will. Prediction: Decline option.
Diego Pepi was signed as a Homegrown and loaned to Texoma FC, and while he played a fair amount, he never broke into the XI. He’s about to be 21, but he might make a good piece for North Texas SC as they move to Mansfield. So if FCD does pick him up, it will be for that. Prediction: Pick up option, assign to NTSC full-time in 2026.
Tomas Pondeca played in 15 games for New Mexico United on loan, but just 2 of them were starts. Not good enough to start at USL-C isn’t going to get you kept around in MLS. Prediction: Decline option.
Carl Sainte, on the other hand, made 17 starts in 22 games for Phoenix Rising and often starts for Haiti. Is it worth picking him up to see if Phx wants to buy him? If they pass, he could play for North Texas, as he should dominate that league at 23 years of age, although he won’t be happy about that. In the end, I don’t think the limited money they might get from Rising is worth being stuck with the kid at NTSC. Prediction: Decline option.
Tarick Scott has been a homegrown for three seasons as well, but all of 2023 was lost with the double-knee MCL/ACL tear. 2024 was looking good until FCD hosed him with the Farrington send-down nonsense, and while 2025 wasn’t quite as good, he did have a solid loan to Monterey Bay at the end of it. Scott remains the best goal-scoring prospect to come out of the Academy in about 4 years, so keep him and see how this year goes. Particularly if they decline Julio. Prediction: Pick up option.
Free Agents
FCD has one free agent.
Jacob Jackson is out of contract and a free agent. He put up some performances that show he is worthy of being re-signed as a 2nd or 3rd. Right now, he is on a senior supplemental deal of $104k; it will probably take a senior roster contract of $200 or more to get him to stay. The senior spot might be harder to come by than the money, but it’s worth trying to re-sign him. Prediction: Attempt to re-sign.
Becoming Homegrowns
There are three kids at North Texas SC that will move from the MLS Next Pro phase of their contract to the Homegrown phase: Kaka Scabin, Jaidyn Contreras, and Caleb Swann. They will technically be FC Dallas Homegrowns in 2026, but I expect all three to be “off roster” and assigned to North Texas SC for the season.
What’s Next
It’s probable that not all of those players under contract will be back via loans, trades, sales, or buyouts. And my predictions won’t be 100% accurate either.
But what’s mostly next will be new players coming in. FCD will not be bringing back the same roster and thinking that’ good enough. They have 2 open DP spots after all (or maybe just 1, cause of the 4 U22 signings).
But things will change, they always do. What those changes will be is the next topic we will tackle after the contract options are announced.
