Player Profile: David Estrada

At this time a year ago, there was reasonable discussion about whether or not David Estrada was going to be back with the Seattle Sounders. Now, he was judged to have had the 12th best season among the Sounders. That's a pretty major step forward, and if not for an injury that cost him more than a third of his season, he probably would have been even higher. What stood out most about Estrada was his versatility, which gave him value even after he cooled off from his blazing start that saw him score five goals in his first three games.

On a team full of offensive stars, no player had a better net shot rate than Estrada. That's pretty impressive, especially for a player just about everyone seemed to think was a massive bust a year ago. After winning the starting spot during an impressive preseason, Estrada scored a goal in his first competitive game of the year against Santos Laguna and followed that up with a hat trick in the MLS opener. It's unclear what role he'll play next year, but his tireless work ethic should keep him relevant.

Skills on offense: Not necessarily a great passer, dribbler or shooter, what Estrada does better than just about anyone in the league is work. He seems to never get tired and doggedly harasses defenders in their third while pushing the line forward and creating space for guys like Fredy Montero. He also proved to be a decent finisher.

Skills on defense: You won't really see him back in the defensive third too often, but he can hold his own. Similar to his main offensive skill, he's at his best just making life difficult for the opposition

Best Case in 2013: It's hard to see him starting 12 games again if the Sounders stay healthy, but he'll get minutes coming off the bench and picking up the stray start. He'll also feature prominently in non-MLS competition.