You Be The GM: Should Pedro Ribeiro be Protected or Not?

With the fans overwhelmingly in Andrew Wenger's camp heading into next year, the Union is running thin on players they can protect. Most people seem to agree that the following ten players should be protected: Maidana, Nogueira, Okugo, Gaddis, Valdes, Le Toux, A goalkeeper, White, Williams and Wenger. The vote was less convincing when it came to Maurice Edu given his salary but he was nevertheless a popular keeper. If Edu is protected there are your 11 players.

This is who the Brotherly Game staff voted to protect:

The next highest player on the list was Brian Brown, who the fans would also like to see back in action as forward depth. The next in line, at 13th position, is Pedro Ribeiro. The Union spent a mid-first round pick on Ribeiro in the 2014 Super Draft. Jim Curtin thought highly enough of his play to bring him up to the first team by year end. Even though Ribeiro projects as an attacking midfielder, Curtin deployed him as a false nine, backing up Conor Casey. Given Casey was only able to go 60 minutes per match down the stretch, Ribeiro played vital minutes for the playoff run.

Pedro did manage 2 goals but he had trouble creating opportunities for others. His 62.7% pass completion percentage was the lowest on the team for any non-goalkeeper, and his .9 key passes per 90 were the lowest on the team for any forward or attacking midfielder not named Danny Cruz.

Did Pedro Ribeiro do the enough in his first season to pass more than one player listed above and be protected? If the Union don't protect him and he is not the first Union player selected in the expansion draft, should the Union protect him then?

You be the GM below:

Previous You Be The GM votes:

Andrew Wenger

Goalkeepers

Brian Carroll

Conor Casey

Brian Brown

Maurice Edu

Amobi Okugo