WHAT'S NEXT: 6 NWSL RFA Extension Candidates To Watch

Taylor Vincent
Taylor Vincent, Resident NWSL ExpertApril 11, 2024
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Way ahead of the October deadline to exercise options on potential free agents, here’s six restricted free agents to keep an eye on in the coming months for extensions to be signed as teams look at their long term plans. 

Reminder, unrestricted free agents are more like a traditional free agent, whereas restricted free agents can negotiate with other teams but then the originating team has seven days to fiscally match the offer and keep the player on their roster.

However, if an originating team does not make an offer to a restricted free agent before December 31st of the calendar year, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. 

Here’s six players to keep an eye on, in alphabetical order:

1. Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash)

Status: Contract through 2024

Alozie went undrafted in the 2019 NWSL Draft, and proceeded to sign with a team abroad for the 2020 season before Covid-19 ended the season early. She ended up in Houston as an NRI in the 2021 preseason and eventually was signed to a National Team Replacement Player (NTRP) contract before being signed through the end of the season. Since then, she has had an important role for the Dash, and in 2023 played over 1000 minutes with four goals, and one assist. She is also on the Nigerian National Team, and helped the Super Falcons’ run to the round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. 

2. Elyse Bennett (San Diego Wave)

Status: Contract through 2024, with club option for 2025

Bennett spent the 2023 season with the Reign, and played in 22 games with seven starts, two goals, and two assists, She ended up unprotected in the 2024 Expansion Draft and was picked up by Utah as their first pick. Two days after the Expansion Draft, she was traded to the San Diego Wave. Bennett got the start for San Diego in the 2024 Challenge Cup Championship that they won 1–0.  

3. Alana Cook (Seattle Reign)

Status: Contract through 2024

Originally joining the Reign on a short term loan for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup from French side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Cook ended up transferring to the Seattle-based side in 2021 on a three year contract with an additional option year for 2024. In 2023, Cook started 21 matches for the Reign, and had 34 interceptions and 16 blocks. Cook joined the USWNT in New Zealand and Australia for the 2023 FIFA World Cup, and started in the send-off match but didn’t see any playing time during the tournament. After a minor knee injury in the Reign 2024 preseason, Cook was replaced on the USWNT roster for the Concacaf W Gold Cup. She missed the first two matches of the 2024 regular season, but is currently building her minutes back up and played 32 in the latest game for the Reign. 

4. Jordyn Huitema (Seattle Reign)

Status: Contract through 2024

Although only 22, Huitema is on her fifth season as a pro and her third in the NWSL. Joining the Reign from PSG, the Canadian National Team forward played in 23 games in 2023 for Seattle including 17 starts and earning five goals. Standing at 5’11”, Huitema is an aerial threat, with three of her 2023 goals coming from her head and an overall 58% aerial duel success. She had an 82nd minute diving header for Canada to equalize and force penalty kicks in the Concacaf W Gold Cup semifinal. In the 2024 SheBelieves Cup Final on Tuesday, Huitema got the start for Canada but ended up subbing off injured in stoppage time in the first half. 

5. Kerolin (North Carolina Courage)

Status: Contract through 2024

The reigning NWSL MVP, Kerolin had 19 starts for the Courage in 2023, with ten goals, three assists, and a 79% passing accuracy. The big question on the Brazilian national team forward’s future is the ACL tear which occurred in the final game of the 2023 regular season. The ACL epidemic has been rampant in the last few years, and while some players have been able to fully return to play in less than a year, others have taken almost two years to recover. If Kerolin is healthy, it could easily become a bidding war to add such a dynamic player to any teams’ attack. 

6. Delanie Sheehan (NJNY Gotham)

Status: Contract through 2024, with club option for 2025

After only playing in nine matches for Gotham in 2022, Sheehan became a pivotal part of the Gotham revamp in 2023 playing in 21 games and over 1500 minutes. She had a 78% passing accuracy with two assists, and her goal against the Courage in the first round of the playoffs aided Gotham’s postseason run. So far in 2024 Sheehan has played in every minute of all of Gotham’s games between the 2024 Challenge Cup and their two regular season matches.

 

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