Brooks Lennon was among five players whose contract options Atlanta United declined Tuesday.
Lennon’s time with the club ends after six seasons, 171 appearances in regular-season matches and a franchise-leading 37 assists. He had a guaranteed compensation of $740,000 this season, meaning he was likely a salary cap casualty.
The club also declined to pick up contract options on fullback Ronald Hernandez — who had guaranteed compensation of $290,750 this season — goalkeeper Josh Cohen ($328,492), defender Nyk Sessock ($104,000) and winger Leo Afonso ($80,622). The club will continue to negotiate with Hernandez, who scored one goal with one assist in 21 appearances last season.
The club exercised the options on strikers Jamal Thiare ($730,000) and Cayman Togashi ($104,000), midfielders Jay Fortune ($109,000) and Will Reilly ($80,622), defender Matthew Edwards ($80,622), and goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert ($80,622).
Thiare finished the 2025 season as Atlanta United’s third-leading scorer, with five goals in 27 appearances. Reilly scored one goal in seven appearances; Fortune scored one goal in 15 appearances; and Edwards has two assists in 20 appearances. The seasons for Reilly, Fortune and Edwards, all Homegrowns, ended prematurely because of injuries.
The decisions on Lennon, Hernandez and Sessock may result in Atlanta United having just one right-sided fullback, Edwards, going into next season. Brad Guzan’s retirement, combined with the team’s decision on Cohen, means it has just one goalkeeper, Hibbert, going into next season.
Atlanta United can trade for players in those positions, sign some as free agents, or acquire them in transfers. The MLS trade window is scheduled to open Dec. 9, free-agency on Dec. 10 and the transfer window in January.
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