Columbus Crew SC had 10 of its 11 starting spots filled by pretty much the same players over the course of the 2017 MLS season. The only exception was the left back position, which saw several players take turns playing there without a clear answer as to who the best option would be.
If the position was already one to be addressed by the club in the 2018 transfer market, what was a spot with potential for improvement became a clear need as the Black & Gold lost Jukka Raitala, selected by the Los Angeles Football Club in the expansion draft, and Waylon Francis, traded to the Seattle Sounders, in the first days of the offseason.