I don't know what's allowed, but I'd like to see something like what the Celtics/Bruins have with their farm teams - they can basically send anyone down to get some game action if they aren't playing regularly. We're always going to have players on the MLS roster who aren't playing much, if at all. It would be good to have them playing games with the USL1 team when they aren't seeing much MLS action, without having to execute a loan agreement (unless that can be done on a game-to-game basis). Regardless, one benefit is that there will always be a nearby team that they can do a full scrimmage with.
Just one example of a player going back and forth: Ricardo Pepi starred for USL-L1 team North Texas SC, scoring 11 goals in 13 games. He also played in spurts for FC Dallas (2 games in June, 3 in August, plus the last 2 regular season games). Saturday, he scored both goals for NTSC's playoff win over Forward Madison FC.
With Knighton being 34 and Turner 30 I can see why they want to keep a 26 year old keeper with loads of talent but he may get chosen in the expansion draft so it may be a moot point
It wouldn't shock me if Cropper asks to be released and I wouldn't blame him. Seeing as he's gone from being invited to USMNT camps to being loaned to a USL team, it's clear his future is not in New England. The Revs would be wise to see if they can get something for him. The Revs can draft or sign a couple of college free agent keepers for Revs 2 and bring one up if they ever need someone on the bench with the big club.
Matt Turner is 25, not 30. Cropper is surplus. As to how reserve teams work, in the past teams have been allowed to make short term loans of players on their 30 man roster to their USL team. The total number of active loans at any given time is capped (I think at 6 but thats just a number im tossing out). Regardless, in order to be "called up" a player has to be on the 30 man roster
Carles Gil a finalist for Newcomer of the Year. MLS 2019 year-end awards finalists revealed; Ibrahimovic, Vela, Martinez up for MVP October 14, 2019, 2:00PM EDT MLSsoccer staff
So the Friedel tenure was not a total bust: New England Revolution's Carles Gil wins MLS Newcomer of the Year October 16, 2019, 10:01AM EDT Charles Boehm