RSL’s protected list released for 2017 MLS Expansion Draft

Real Salt Lake’s list of unprotected players has been released, and it’s got some interesting selections available for incoming LAFC — including Yura Movsisyan, who we’d all assumed had to be protected.

Tony Beltran is perhaps a little surprising to see on the list, but given he won’t be playing until September at the earliest, it’s not surprising that he’d be left unprotected, as there would be no reason for LAFC to select him.

The usual suspects, of course, were protected — including Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando, both of whom were eligible for free agency going back to earlier this month, though Beckerman has since dropped off the list.

Interestingly, Rimando’s protected status gives us reason to think he’ll be returning to Salt Lake City in 2018 — there’d be little reason to protect him otherwise.

Protected

1. Kyle Beckerman
2. Justen Glad
3. David Horst
4. Luke Mulholland
5. Joao Plata
6. Albert Rusnak
7. Nick Rimando
8. Sebastian Saucedo
9. Jefferson Savarino
10. Luis Silva
11. Marcelo Silva

Automatically protected

• Danilo Acosta
• Jordan Allen
• Jose Hernandez
• Brooks Lennon
• Ricardo Velazco (option declined)

Eligible for selection

• Chad Barrett*
• Tony Beltran
• Nick Besler
• Reagan Dunk
• Omar Holness
• Yura Movsisyan
• Stephen Obayan Sunday
• Demar Phillips
• Justin Schmidt
• Chris Schuler*
• Connor Sparrow
• Matt Van Oekel
• Chris Wingert*