The San Jose Earthquakes declined to exercise the contract options on nine players, including Clarence Goodson, Marc Pelosi and Tommy Thompson, the team announced Friday.
However, Thompson, 21, who was the team’s first homegrown player signing in 2014, and Pelosi, 22, who missed all of 2016 with injury, are reportedly in negotiations to return to the team under new contracts.
Goodson was expected to be a key member of the Earthquakes back line last season, but missed most of the campaign with a back injury. The 34-year-old center back and former U.S. international was one of the team’s largest non-designated player earners, according to numbers released by the MLS players union.