Jaelin Howell has the potential to be a vital player for Gotham FC

Last week, NJ/NY Gotham FC announced they traded Lynn Williams and Cassie Miller for Jaelin Howell and more. The trade was a little shocking since no one thought Williams would leave the Bats before her contract was up. Alas, reports stated she wanted to return to the West Coast, so the team honored her wishes.

While Williams and Miller will be missed, fans will get a chance to witness the newest Gotham FC player, Howell. The 25-year-old midfielder joins the already talented roster who finished the NWSL season in third place. It is unknown how she will be utilized by the NJ/NY side, but she is fully capable of starting. However, her minutes have declined since making her NWSL debut in 2022, making some wonder whether she will be more of a depth piece.

There is a reason Racing Louisville FC drafted her second overall in the 2022 NWSL draft. The Colorado native had a successful youth career with Real Colorado and the youth USWNTs before her collegiate career at Florida State University.

Looking back at Gotham FC player Jaelin Howell's young career

Howell played for the Seminoles from 2018 through 2021. The newest Gotham FC player started the majority of the games she played in. She scored 14 goals and had 14 assists. The defensive midfielder was also teammates with Jenna Nighswonger during her time at FSU, where they both won the 2021 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship. Howell also won the MAC Hermann trophy two years in a row.

In 2022, she appeared in 22 regular season matches in her first season at Racing, registering two assists. Many thought thought she was on her way to becoming an NWSL star, but her playing time slightly decreased in 2023. She was still a vital member of the team since she started in 19 of the 21 appearances. However, Howell's regular season minutes declined, for she went from 1,902 minutes to 1,304.

2024 saw the midfielder split her time with Racing and Seattle Reign FC, for she was surprisingly traded to the Washington team. Nobody saw it coming and the trade did not make sense. As such, her minutes between both sides saw her play just 1,177 in the regular season. At the same time, she still started eight of the 12 games she played in Louisville.

Perhaps Racing wanted the player who played for FSU. While Howell is one of the stronger defensive midfielders in the NWSL, she has not scored in the regular season. Her lone goal came in 2022 when she scored in the NWSL Challenge Cup final.

The shocking trade to Seattle, and then the trade to Gotham FC, meant Howell never truly had a chance to adjust to the Reign. She will at least have the offseason with the Bats to get to know her new team. Again, it is unknown what the plan will be for the defensive midfielder, but maybe Juan Carlos Amorós will bring out the best in her.

Regardless of what happens, Howell only has one year left on her contract. If it does not work out with Gotham FC, then she can go elsewhere at the end of 2025. Hopefully, she will be a surprise and play well for the team.