The Rondo, MLS Preview Edition: Will Inter Miami finally win the Cup? Will Lionel Messi repeat as MVP? Will Gregg Berhalter revive Chicago? Will San Diego FC surprise?

Tom Hindle: Perhaps a little boring, but Gregg Berhalter to Chicago should be a good time. Can the coach turn them around? Is he well used as both sporting director and head coach? Have they spent wisely? Is he a good enough manager to make this all work? There are more sensational acquisitions, but his could be the most interesting.

Ryan Tolmich: It's hard not to love what Seattle pulled off this winter. They added proven MLS talent in Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola in positions of need, putting together one hell of a puzzle. The man behind it, Brian Schmetzer, is arguably the most trustworthy coach in the league when it comes to getting the most out of his squad. Expect a big year from Ferreira, in particular, who should bounce back from a tough 2024.

Jacob Schneider: Almiron's return to Atlanta is easily the most exciting move ahead of 2025. He inspired all of MLS during his prior time in the league, and his return is a sensational homecoming. Zaha is a close second. However, the smartest move this offseason goes to the LA Galaxy. Greg Vanney and Co. brought in Columbus Crew striker Christian Ramirez for a mere $250K in allocation money (with another $250K on the table in 2026) to replace Dejan Joveljic, who joined Sporting Kansas City for a reported $4M fee. Hypothetically, Ramirez should be able to replicate the Serbian's scoring in LA, or at least come close to it, for a cheap fee. Well done.

TH: MVP is Messi - and it shouldn't really be close. Golden Boot is trickier, but let's go with Denkey, whom everyone seems super high on.

RT: It all comes down to one question: how much does Messi care about these things? With no Copa America this summer and, hopefully, no injury to derail him, Messi should put up superhuman numbers in MLS. If that happens, the only way Messi doesn't win is if the voters get tired of his brilliance. Still, he has to stay healthy. If he does end up playing, say, 75 percent of Miami's games, it's hard to imagine anyone else winning.

JS: Messi will win his second-straight MVP. Others, such as Evander, will contend, but the Argentine will once again claim the trophy - assuming he stays fit. The Golden Boot, however, will be a photo finish. Denkey, Latte Lath, LAFC's Denis Bouanga and trophy-holder Christian Benteke should all contend. However, the trophy will end in the hands of Minnesota United's Kelvin Yeboah. In 2024, he bagged seven goals in nine regular season appearances and two more in three playoff matches. The Loons themselves will rely on him heavily in front of net, and as a result, he'll be their primary scorer. That should result in a 20-plus goal season. If there's one thing we learned from Benteke's award-winning season, it's that you need a scorer to win the award, not an elite roster.

TH: New England. Caleb Porter has been given money to spend, and has a proven winning record as a coach. He seems properly energized, and with a good team in place, they could go from relative irrelevance up to a five-seed - and perhaps make some noise from there.

RT: It has gone under the radar a bit, but Charlotte FC has quietly built one of the league's most balanced rosters, top to bottom. They have an elite goalkeeper in Kristijan Kahlina and a defense so solid that it can afford to play Tim Ream at left-back. Eryk Williamson should help the midfield, while the signing of Zaha gives the attack the type of player it's never had before. In terms of roster construction, this team has everything: top level experience from Zaha, Ream and Ashley Westwood, MLS experience throughout and rising stars such as Patrick Agyemang. Depending on Zaha's level, Charlotte could end up being an MLS Cup contender.

JS: Agree, it's Charlotte FC. The club's brilliant offseason work has set them up to compete with some of the best in the Eastern Conference. The addition of Zaha, along with Agyemang returning, should have them finishing top-six in the league. Others, such as MNUFC, the San Jose Earthquakes and CF Montreal, could surprise, too. But Charlotte takes the cake.

TH: Toronto FC. They're really not very good. San Diego might struggle, as an expansion team, but they've got enough talent - and possibly Kevin De Bruyne? - to compete a bit.

RT: Sorry, San Diego FC, but this is going to be hard - at least initially. There just isn't enough MLS-proven talent on this roster yet. Yes, Chucky Lozano is good and should get goals. Yes, Luca de la Torre helps the midfield. In terms of veteran know-how in this group, though, there just isn't much. Because of that, they'll almost certainly struggle. If that rumored de Bruyne signing happens, though, please don't come back to this prediction.

JS: It's Toronto. Failing to offload Lorenzo Insigne, who is the league's second-highest paid player, ahead of the season is terrible front office business. He has constantly underperformed and let his team down, and without him moved, they can't make many changes. The appointment of Robin Fraser as manager would have been a smart move if he had any framework to work with, but right now, it seems as if he has been set up to fail with a roster that just cannot compete.

TH: Inter Miami. It won't be easy, but they have retooled well this offseason. It wouldn't be a massive surprise if they get bounced from CONCACAF Champions Cup and then get to focus on MLS a little more. You also wouldn't bet against them doing something fun in the summer to bolster their chances (hello, Neymar.) Lock it in, Leo.

RT: It may be somewhat bold to make this pick, but given their business this offseason, you can't overlook Atlanta. They spent big to build an elite attack, one headlined by the league's record signing in Latte Lath, and the league's former record export, Almiron. They also brought in a top-level head coach, Ronny Deila, who has done this before with NYCFC. It may take some time for everything to come together, but this Atlanta team might just be ready in time to shock people. They have so much talent, and it might just be enough to get them to another MLS Cup.

JS: The Seattle Sounders, for two reasons. One, their defense. It's cliche, but defense win championships. The Sounders have the league's best backline, and only conceded 35 goals in 2024. In the offseason, very few teams upgraded their attack - and it could prove to be a big issue. Seattle, on the other hand, will not need to worry about that. Two, Schmetzer. He is a coach who knows how to navigate the postseason, and that itself is a crucial asset to have. From adjusting tactics and game plans to in-the-moment changes, he is elite in those stressful moments, and as a result, he'll lead the Western Conference side to glory.