"I'm more than happy to play there," he said since shifting over. "Unfortunate for the team, that probably means we have a couple injuries."
Much more than that, actually. Which makes Wingert's contributions all that more crucial early in the year. Through RSL's first eight games of 2017, he played in every single position along the back line, making starts in the center as well as right back and left back.
Against high-flying expansion franchise Atlanta United on Saturday night, Wingert made his third straight start at center back alongside Chris Schuler.
"Everybody talks about young players with stamina, with this, with that," RSL coach Mike Petke said, "reading the game is — if not more important — equally important, and Chris has been able to do that.