The Colorado Rapids are replenishing their back line.
The club signed U.S. Youth National Team center back Noah Cobb on loan through the end of the 2025 season with a purchase option, the club announced Friday evening.
Colorado will pay $100,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) initially, then can decide on an undisclosed purchase option amount at the end of the loan period.
Cobb, 20, is the Rapids’ first acquisition of the secondary transfer window, which began Thursday. Last week, the club transferred its best center back, Chidozie Awaziem, to one of his many former clubs, FC Nantes. Since then, the Rapids have been looking for a replacement.
The Tennessee native came up through Atlanta’s academy before signing a Homegrown deal in 2023 as a 17-year-old. He’s played 35 matches (21 starts) in his MLS career. He’s only amassed 13 appearances in 23 chances this season.
According to his FBRef profile, he’s one of the better passing center backs, ranking in the 90th percentile or better at his position in short passes (attempted and completed), long passes (attempted and completed), expected assists and passes into the final third. On paper, he could be a nice complement to Andreas Maxsø, who ranks in the bottom 41% in all of the same categories.
At the national level, Cobb featured for the USYNT at the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championships. Rapids goalkeeper Adam Beaudry (now on loan with the Colorado Springs Switchbacks) played alongside Cobb.
The Rapids are still in search of a proven starting-quality center back to replace Awaziem, sources told The Denver Post. Cobb could back up Ian Murphy, the now-presumed starter next to Maxsø, if nothing can get done.
The Rapids are in talks with Crystal Palace center back Rob Holding, but no deal has been signed. Formerly of Arsenal, which is also owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the defender has seemed to have fallen out of favor with his current Premier League club and could make the jump to the MLS.
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