Although the Seattle Sounders are not quite as healthy as they’d hoped to be heading into the last two weeks of preseason, Jackson Ragen has now returned to full training. The centerback discovered that he had a previously unidentified knee injury while at the United States national team camp and missed the first few weeks of preseason.
"I'm all good," Ragen told reporters on Wednesday. "The last few sessions I’ve been in with no restrictions. I'm hoping to be back for the first game, but it’s their decision."
Ragen said he likely suffered the injury in the Sounders' final playoff game last year when he first felt some discomfort. But he said he got through most of the offseason without any pain and never got it X-rayed. Shortly after reporting to the USMNT camp, though, he hyper-extended his knee, which prompted some scans that discovered a pre-existing fracture in the non-weight-bearing part of the knee.
"It was a weird one," he said.
Now fully healed, Ragen is focused on regaining his starting spot coming off a season in which he helped anchor a defense that allowed the fewest goals in MLS. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing in at 205 pounds last season, Ragen said he spent the offseason getting bigger and stronger. During preseason, he weighed in at 214 pounds.
"We have to get to another level," Ragen said.
Other injury updates
Among the players who missed some or part of the preseason, Pedro de la Vega, Danny Musovski, Nouhou and Josh Atencio appear to be fully training, while João Paulo, Braudilio Rodrigues and Alex Roldan are more limited. Reed Baker-Whiting appears to be the furthest away from returning, as he's mostly been doing work inside.
