After four excellent seasons to start life in MLS as an expansion club, 
Nashville SC had their first true disappointing campaign.
The club’s playoff streak came to an end. They were just one of two (of 19) modern expansion teams to make the playoffs in their first four seasons. A team who had consistently been able to grind out a 1-0 win and just generally be difficult as hell to play against slipped and those wins turned to draws, the draws to losses.
That early season swoon cost Gary Smith his job and BJ Callaghan officially took over in the summer. There were positive signs, particularly in the watchability of the game model that should bode well for 2025 (particularly after an actual preseason), but didn’t rescue 2024.
Midseason additions like Patrick Yazbek and Johnny Perez boosted the group. Callaghan being a more youth-friendly manager may change the recruitment strategy slightly moving forward too.
What will Nashville do to work back into the playoffs?
State of the Roster
Head coach: BJ Callaghan
Chief Soccer Officer: Mike Jacobs
The Good
I still like the DP trio of Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge and Walker Zimmerman despite a tough year.
Mukhtar, I assume, is much closer to his MVP/Best XI seasons than the drop-off he had in the last 18 months. He had 3G/3A in his final seven games, while Surridge had 4G/1A in those same seven. I think there is still an elite player (Mukhtar) with a potentially strong running mate (Surridge). We’ll see next year if I’m right or wrong.
Zimmerman is one of the few center back DPs in the league and, after two Defensive Player of the Year awards and four Best XI selections since 2019, he certainly deserved it. He missed plenty of time recovering from injury and the defense generally was not good all year. Zimmerman is 31, not 38. There should be optimism he can return to form.
Joe Willis was still good this year, even as the defense was surprisingly not. Jacob Shaffelburg has been a revelation for this team. Does he have one more step to take in his development?
Callaghan played much more expansive soccer and young players made strides under him. At the very least, this will be a more fun team to watch next year.
The Bad
If my optimism is misplaced and that DP trio is subpar again in 2025, it’ll be a lost season and a signal to a complete overhaul.
Even with some early offseason moves, it is still an old team, particularly in defense. Playing more expansive soccer means needing more athleticism in the back. Willis (36), Dan Lovitz (33) and Zimmerman (31) are slotted as three starters again.
Alex Muyl is serviceable, but limited. Is Davis a good fit for what Callaghan wants from his central midfielders? If not, those two contracts won’t look great in 2025. Davis is making north of $1 million, Muyl $525,000. Those two combine for just under one max TAM slot. Miles Robinson signed for Cincy last winter on a deal in that range.
Another significant contract on the cap is Randall Leal ($1.15m). He played a total of 47 minutes last season due to injury. He has not scored more than three goals in a season since 2021.
Flexibility
Well, in short? Not a ton, but this roster doesn’t need a ton of work. For sure, to get younger and add a couple key pieces, but not quite a total overhaul.
All three DP spots are filled in Mukhtar, Zimmerman and Surridge. They’re not going anywhere.
High-leverage cap hits Randall Leal, Sean Davis, Shaq Moore, Jack Maher and Tyler Boyd are under long-term deals as well. Nashville have done wonderfully at generating GAM via trades of international slots to maintain having so many players in the TAM threshold and generally running their cap sheet very well, but I’m not sure there’s room for another key signing in that range without departures.
Nashville moved on from the likes of Anibal Godoy, Dru Yearwood and more with their end-of-season roster update. They also have flexibility via the U-22 initiative, with two spots open this winter. And, more importantly, a coach willing to play young players.
Shaffelburg is a name to watch in the transfer market. The Canadian international is on the radar of clubs abroad.
Offseason Priorities
With so much of the team set, the biggest priority should be adding a ball-progressing central midfielder if they can. Whether the profile is as a deep-lying playmaker or a box-to-box type doesn’t totally matter, either would be beneficial.
Beyond that starting central midfielder, another rotational quality central midfielder as well as another injection of youth into the team at multiple spots, plus a left back.
Nashville have traditionally been excellent at intra-league additions. I’d expect to see them seeing what they can find this winter, particularly given expected cap constraints that will make it difficult to fit transfer fees into any cap charge.
Perez is on loan until the summer and was a bright spot down the stretch. Nashville have a purchase option as part of the deal with the LA Galaxy and I’d expect the young winger to stay with Nashville.