Good Friday morning Caps fans, hope you all are having a good week and that you’re in line for a much deserved break this weekend — we all could use one.

Vancouver heads into the weekend with a mostly full squad ready to take on the San Jose Earthquakes, who sit dead last in the Western Conference amid another trying year in Northern California. They are a team that can be fun offensively but which have never been able to muster the quality to get out of the basement.

That of course means that I’m nervous heading into the match at BC Place, as anything less than three points would be considered a disappointment amid the push for the playoffs. The Caps didn’t have too much trouble in the return fixture — let’s hope that holds true here as well.

Off-the-pitch, this week brought interesting news in the form of the annual free agents list, which MLSPA puts out. Of note for the Caps were that they only had two names on the list — but both players have had a sizable impact for the club this year in Ryan Raposo and Fafa Picault.

Picault reportedly has an option that could be triggered if he hits enough goal contributions but these are both guys who you would probably like to keep around in a vacuum but who both will pose tough decisions for the Caps.

Fafa has been excellent this season, one of the shrewder free agent pickups last season. But that quality will likely mean he demands a raise and, given that he will be 34 by the time next season starts, there is really no reason the Caps should give him one. If you could bring him back as a depth piece, yeah, maybe you do it. But without any offense to Fafa’s huge contributions this season, this is probably an area the team should be looking to upgrade anyway.

Raposo is also tricky. He hasn’t been a nailed on starter and, if Sam Adekugbe was healthy, Vanni Sartini would probably go with Sam (who is commanding a sizable salary himself). That has rarely happened, however, and Raposo is a solid guy to fill in with and who also has the benefit of being a domestic player. But he too will (rightly) want a raise and it probably will be more than what the Caps would want to pay for a depth player. I’d love to have Raposo back but I could understand if it doesn’t happen.

There’s still plenty of season left to play and Fafa and Ryan will play a big role. But it will be interesting to see if the Caps see either player as part of this project moving forward.

Shameless Self Promotion

We’ve all joked that Deiber Caicedo’s return to Vancouver is “like a new signing.” But Caleb dives into what he really could offer the Caps down the stretch.

Best of the Rest

More on why the Whitecaps shouldn’t be overlooking lowly San Jose on Saturday.

A look at who might be on the market for the Whitecaps to sign as a free agent this offseason.

Canada drew with Mexico in the midweek, capping a strong international break that puts them at the top of CONCACAF.

The Caps are a ways off from clinching a playoff spot but they can eliminate San Jose from playoff contention this weekend.