Rapids Roundtable: Best Djordje moment and predicting end of year roster decisions

With the roster decision deadline approaching, The Colorado Rapids have choices to make on several rotation players from 2024. Who have we seen play their last game in Burgundy? Braidon Nourse of the Denver Post joins Mitchell Carroll and Duane Brown to discuss those decisions and appreciate the record-breaking season from Djordje Mihailovic.

Djordje Mihailovic set the club goal contribution record in his first season with the Rapids – what was your favorite Djordje moment in 2024?

Mitchell Carroll:

UTFP aside, I’m going with his 1 goal, 1 assist game against Sporting Kansas City on the 4th of July. After SKC took a 1-0 lead early in the second half, Djordje assisted Oliver Larraz for his first MLS goal to level it in the 69’. Then, Djordje set up Darren Yapi to draw a stoppage-time penalty after he found him on one of the nicest passes of the season. He then buried it from the spot to reach 10 goals in a season for the first time in his career. 

A lot of great moments from a guy with 25-goal contributions, but that game will stick out to me in his Rapids career. 

Duane Brown:

To the surprise of absolutely ZERO people on Earth, it’s “UP THE F**KING PIDS!” A streaming service that has largely ignored the Colorado Rapids literally has their camera manhandled by Djordje Mihailovic and drops “f*ck heard ‘round the soccer world.” It was unexpected, fun and glorious. Makes a nice t-shirt too.

Braidon Nourse:

“UP THE F—IN’ PIDS…” is a close second. Give me the coming-out party against LAFC. Cold-blooded top-right blast past Hugo Lloris, a nasty assist for Moïse Bombito’s first career goal and a game-winner with the thigh? Against the best team in the West? What a moment.

Which of the players who could be out of a contract this offseason played themselves into the team in 2025? Keegan Rosenberry, Jonathan Lewis, Lalas Abubakar, Sebastian Anderson, Oliver Larraz, Calvin Harris, Nate Jones, and Michael Edwards can all be out of contract this season.

Braidon:

I’m on the fence about a few guys, but the guy who single-handedly put Lamine Diack in a perpetual training loan spell and scored the Rapids’ only playoff goal (Larraz) should be getting at least a two-year deal. Captain Keegan should be a no-brainer even if he’s slowing down a bit — he’s too valuable in that locker room. My surprise pick: Michael Edwards. Talk about an energy guy who I know the club is high on. After all the work he’s put in to get as few minutes as he has (not to mention he made every second worth it), he deserves a chance to fight for the open CB position.

The club is also high on Nate Jones despite not appearing for the first team this season. He’ll likely become another Edwards-esque project — who knows, maybe it’ll work.

Duane:

I think the locks are Keegan, Oli, and Harris. I don’t see the Club shipping out their captain and veteran leader with so much youth on the squad. Keegan is an asset even if he shares minutes next season. For true burgundy and blue fans who know, no one turned more heads this year than Oli Larraz. The entire formation shifted because of how solid a job he did partnering with Cole after Ronan’s early-season injury.

Harris didn’t light the Rapids world on fire, but top-tier wingers are not cheap and not easy to find. I see the Club bringing in a winger or two, but they’re not simply replacing the forwards so Calvin will remain a dependable winger in the Armas system.

Mitchell:

Calvin Harris had one of the better campaigns among the Rapids front seven (4g/3a in over 1,500 minutes), and Padraig Smith has been a long-time fan of the Englishman. I would expect to see him back.

Oliver Larraz is a no-brainer to be back in Burgundy, as is Keegan Rosenberry. Nate Jones, who was a high draft pick last year and had a good campaign with the 2s, would be nice to see back in Commerce City next season.

Conversely, which of those players would you expect to be playing somewhere else next season?

Mitchell:
 
Jonathan Lewis and Lalas Abubakar. Lewis sits in a tie for 10th all-time on the Rapids scoring list with 26 goals in Burgundy, and Lalas may have as many kits in the stands as any player on the team. The Rapids can free up over $1 million in wages with their departure, however, and that may be too valuable to overlook, even for a couple of important players to the franchise.

Big Effing Michael Edwards and Seb Anderson have had their moments (Edwards opened his account with a wild backheel), but there is competition internally for their spots even without any new players coming in from the draft or the transfer market. I wouldn’t be shocked to see them looking for more minutes elsewhere if Colorado can’t offer enough time on the field.

Braidon:
 
Sorry Lalas, but I think it’s time. He will be a legendary “the streets will remember” kind of guy, but this team has much higher aspirations than to keep him on a way-overpaid contract. If you’re the Rapids’ front office, you can replace him with better talent, but you will never find a better character.

I also don’t expect to see Sebastian Anderson back in Burgundy. The outside back position is just too deep right now and there’s no room, even if he showed some flashes this season. Conversely, at this point, if I’m Sebby, I’d want to go somewhere I can get some run. 

I genuinely cannot figure Calvin Harris out. He fits the mold of a young, speedy, hard-working winger that the Rapids can’t get enough of, but I don’t think he’ll be the answer to the team’s need at the position — at least not any time soon. If the Rapids are serious about getting to the promised land, he can’t be higher up on the winger depth chart than third or fourth.

Duane:

Jonathan Lewis probably would’ve been out the door in 2023 if not for injuries. He flashed a ton of excitement when he first put on the burgundy but has tapered off consistently each year since. Some of that is injury-based, some if perhaps a bad fit for Colorado. I believe we’ll see a happier and more productive JLew in a different kit in 2025.

I could see Lalas staying with the ‘Pids on a much-reduced contract for depth. Sadly, I could also see us being at the end for a player beloved by Rapids fans. In Armas’ press, the Rapids would benefit from some recovery speed that has been lacking with the departure of Bombito.