Sounders sign three new players to first-team contracts

The Seattle Sounders recently added three players to the first-team roster, none of whom should come as big surprises. Nathan Cardoso’s signing was officially announced on Thursday, while Braudilio Rodrigues and Jonathan Bell were both announced on Friday.

Nathan is a 28-year-old Brazilian centerback who last played for the San Jose Earthquakes, where he had been since 2021. Nathan was a standout defender in 2022, but tore his ACL and missed all of last season. Prior to moving to MLS, Nathan had played for top flight teams in both Brazil and Switzerland.

Rodrigues, 24, spent last year with Tacoma Defiance, setting an S2/Defiance record with 17 goals scored. He can play almost anywhere in the front six, but was most often used as a left winger. The Sounders sent a 2025 third-round MLS SuperDraft pick to New York City FC for Rodrigues’ rights. NYCFC also retained a percentage of any future sell-on fee and could get $50,000 in GAM if certain performance metrics are met.

Bell, 26, had been selected in the second stage of the Re-Entry Draft after his option was declined by St. Louis City FC. Prior to that, he played three seasons with the New England Revolution. He’s a left-footed player who has mostly played centerback but can also play left back.