TUKWIAL, Wash. — The official addition of Brad Smith to the Seattle Sounders Wednesday was a tacit acknowledgement of a fact that had plagued the club in 2018—they had never fully addressed the departure of Joevin Jones. The club hopes that the new attacking fullback (or winger, if they choose to play him up a line) can add the lethality up the left flank that helped Seattle in its MLS Cup runs the past two years.
Sporting director Chris Henderson all but admitted as much when asked about what Smith would be expected to provide to the team.