Should FC Dallas bring back Walker Zimmerman?

(Note: This was written before Andre Zanotta declared that Dallas would not be signing any center backs this winter.)

As MLS free agency nears its December 10th start date, a big question has emerged around FC Dallas: Should Dallas sign former star Walker Zimmerman after his contract with Nashville SC expired?

The backstory

Zimmerman started his career at 19 with the Burn after being the 7th overall pick in the 2013 SuperDraft from Furman. In five seasons Zimmerman played 89 games with Dallas, starting 30 games on the 2016 squad that won both the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters' Shield. Dallas traded Zimmerman in 2018 to LAFC for $500,000 in combined General Allocation and Targeted Allocation Money.

LA is where Zimmerman's career began blooming. He picked up another Supporters' Shield along with an All-Star and Best XI spot in 2019 before moving onto Nashville in 2020 for $1.25 million in GAM and an international roster spot. Fully blossoming in the Music City Zimmerman won two Defender of the Years, Four Best XIs, and three All Star appearances with Nashville. He also picked up a Gold Cup and Nations League Trophy with the US Men's National Team during that tenure.

Zimmerman's 2025 was derailed in part by an early season head injury. He did manage to play 21 games helping Nashville win their first ever trophy, defeating Austin in the U.S. Open Cup finals. After Nashville lost to Miami in the first round of the Eastern Playoffs, the club announced Zimmerman would hit free agency after six seasons.

The on-field

Let's start with Zimmerman's 2025 performance:

The numbers show an offensive minded center back, elite in creating chances and goals but outside of interceptions isn't the most defensively sound. That can work for Dallas assuming Osaze Urhoghide and whoever is on his left(for this exercise we're assuming Nolan Norris) are lock down. In fact you can argue Zimmerman is Urhoghide's perfect compliment, the yang to his yin. Here's the 2025 comparison chart:

It's striking how these two fit together by their 2025 performances. Zimmerman on offense is as good as Urhoghide is on defense. Their big weakness on defense is clearances, but if that's the weak point you're still in good shape.

Urhoghide isn't the person we should be comparing against Zimmerman however. We should look at how Zimmerman stacks up against potential right sided replacements, starting with Sebastien Ibeagha:

Ho boy.

Outside of clearances and blocks, Zimmerman laps the field on Ibeagha. He provides worlds more offense and more defense overall. He's also younger than Ibby; Zimmerman doesn't turn 33 until May while Ibeagha turns 34 in late January. There's one big difference between the two, but that's for the next section.

Lalas Abubakar also played in 30 games for Dallas last season, so his playing time would be threatened with Zimmerman's arrival. Let's look at how they compare:

It's the same story as Ibeagha, but with an even greater offensive gulf. The defense is a little more even, but overall Zimmerman still profiles as the better player. Abubakar is younger than Zimmerman; he turns 31 on Christmas Day.

Even with reasonable regression due to age, it's fair to posit that Zimmerman in 2026 will be better than both Ibeagha and Abubakar. So that makes it a no brainer right? Just sign Zimmerman, let him start, and keep the other two as your backups right?

Time for the other side of that coin.

The off-field

The big question is: What will it cost to sign Zimmerman this winter?

Zimmerman was a Designated Player during his tenure with Nashville, making him one of their highest paid players. Per the MLSPA release Zimmerman's salary in 2025 was $3.2 million, and his Guaranteed Compensation $3.456 million. That made Zimmerman MLS's highest paid center back, the 21st highest paid player in MLS, and second highest on his own team behind Hany Muhktar's $3.9 million. It was also just over a million dollars more than Petar Musa's 2025 salary ($2.25 million).

The likelihood is Zimmerman would occupy a DP slot, even if his new team doesn't pay as much as Nashville did. For context: New York City FC's Thiago Martins is the league's next highest paid CB at $1.7 million, then Cincinnati's Matt Miazga (who is also a free agent) at $1.575 million. Martins is a DP for NYCFC, Miazga was a TAM player before his deal expired. Bringing Zimmerman more in line with these players seems reasonable; Zimmerman could command somewhere in the $2 million range if he wanted DP level money, or even drop down to somewhere in the low to mid $1 million range as a TAM to better fit a team's salary sheet.

The argument for

Dallas' most glaring need is at center back, especially if they want to play three CBs going forward (which we assume they do). Whether it's domestically or internationally, Dallas needs to go sign another high level center back. If there's one available who doesn't need an international roster spot, who is familiar with MLS in general Dallas in specific, and will likely be available for a reduced salary than before it makes sense to bring him in.

Dallas has a window right now they need to maximize. At the rate he's producing it's when not if a European club comes calling for his services at a price Dallas can't refuse. In theory same for Urhoghide if he stacks another Best XI level season at his current salary. You've also got Ramiro and Shaq Moore getting a year older. Adding Zimmerman shows you're serious about winning right now, something Dallas supporters have questioned under this current administration.

You can argue picking up Ibeagha's option works against the idea of signing Zimmerman, but does it? Adding Zimmerman to this CB room and starting lineup would give Dallas one of the most experienced rooms in the league, ensuring that if any of the starters missed time they'd have depth behind them. Ibeagha as CB 4 behind Urhoghide, Zimmerman, and Norris would be closer to where Ibeagha should be at this stage in his career, even on a big number.

As well, Dallas isn't spending much at all as it stands. After Acosta left, Dallas' salary expenditure was the league's second lowest. They declined Sebastian Lletget, freeing up $800,000 or so. If Anderson Julio gets traded, there's another $750,000 or so opened. In short: they have the room, can make more, so Zimmerman's potential salary isn't a problem.

As of this writing Dallas will have 14 players either expiring or on option decisions after the 2026 season. Taking on Zimmerman now would be front loading the roster knowing you could clear the deck after next year if need be. Worst comes to worst and Zimmerman is a disaster, you buy him out after '26. There's a lot of upside and minimal downside.

The argument against

For Dallas it's not can they, but should they. Between Urhoghide, Ibeagha, and Abubakar they paid $1.665 million in salary to their primary center backs in 2025. All three are back on what we can assume are similar amounts in 2026. That means if Zimmerman occupies a DP spot, he'd probably increase that spending to around $3.6 million on four center backs including two non-starters in this scenario. That's a lot to spend on one position, especially on two guys who wouldn't play unless bad things happened.

There's also the question about resource distribution. Dallas still needs a #10 type player to pull the formation together, potentially another wing back and midfielder, and maybe more depending on the off-season movement. It'd be better for Dallas to spread that salary across other positions, continue raising the floor of the club ahead of the calendar switch season when Dallas frees a lot of money up. Yes it'd be actively forgoing a good player for monetary reasons, but a 33 year old center back when you've already got soon to be 31 and 34 year olds on big deals isn't where this team needs to be.

Generally Dallas is good for one big signing an off-season as of late. Based on the numbers, Zimmerman would represent that signing. While his quality is not in doubt, the supporters would be well within their rights to be disappointed if Zimmerman was the big addition this off-season. It's not exciting nor new at a time where the club needs both in raising their profile both locally and nationally.

The verdict

When I started this article, I fully expected to be against a potential Zimmerman signing. The more I researched and pondered, I found myself wanting Dallas to sign him. Yes it'd be expensive, yes it'd be a risk. However with so many players off the books next year and two MLS quality backups to buttress against any potential injuries, now feels the time to take that risk.

A plan looks like this: Sign Zimmerman this off-season, starting him alongside Urhoghide and Norris in 2026. After the season you let Ibeagha and Abubakar walk, taking that money to get another young CB Zimmerman could mentor as a backup. That plus any development Alvaro Augusto makes could give Dallas a CB core that goes from aged to in prime in 12-16 months.

All older than 30 signings in MLS come with risk, but Dallas has a pretty decent track record with those as of late. Asier Illaramendi, Sebastian Lletget, Ramiro, and even Ibeagha have represented successful adds. At some point you have to run the risk, sign the player, and see what happens. The potential rewards outweigh the minimal concerns. These are the deals contenders make when trying to win, and if Dallas wants to prove themselves a contender they can start by bringing back an old friend.