Joel Waterman

Following his move to Chicago Fire, Waterman's current-season form is down 94% on last season (Season 18→1), while his Rating eased 25→17. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 39).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Chicago Fire · 8th	17	1	0	6.82	23	18
2025/26	CF Montreal · 8th	26	1	1	6.85	25	18
2024/25	CF Montreal · 8th	26	0	0	6.96	32	30
2023/24	CF Montreal · 10th	28	1	1	7.01	35	39
2022/23	CF Montreal · 2nd	32	3	2	6.81	42	25

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 4 earlier seasons in the full career.

Canada · international

Side	Apps	G
Canada	19	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral defender

J. Waterman is a 30-year-old central defender at Portland Timbers, rated 16.9 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 429th of 480 on scout potential in the Major League Soccer. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (7.9% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.73 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Waterman.

Judged on this season alone, Waterman graded 1 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 119th of 119 of the 119 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer, on 3 clean sheets and 2.727 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 18 → 1). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 17, 103rd of 119 of the 119 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. At 30 Waterman is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 1.6 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downInjury-hit 2025/26

Current potential103rd of 119 centre-backs · Major League Soccer Current season119th of 119 centre-backs · Major League Soccer 119th-best centre-back in the Major League Soccer 429th in the Major League Soccer · potential 103rd-highest potential centre-back in the Major League Soccer

16.9

Ratingi

103rd of 119 centre-backs

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

7.9%

Minutes

limited game time

2.73

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Portland Timbers finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Apps

2.73

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.73 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 3 clean sheets across 16 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Watch points

Game time. Only 7.9% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 16.9, Waterman carries the 103rd-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Major League Soccer of 119. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.73 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %7.9%

Available fixtures16 of 25

Goals / 900

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900

Defensive actions / 902.727

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %100

Shot accuracy %50

Pass accuracy %89

Dribble success %50

Cards / 900.406

Foul involvement / 901.868

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~3), then tapers with age. At 30, Waterman sits on 1.6, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Waterman's projected Rating — 16.9 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Major League Soccer with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target1

Shots2

Passing

Assists0

Chances created3

Passes875

Pass accuracy89%

Possession

Successful dribbles1

Dribble success50%

Duels won37

Duels won %52.9%

Fouls won9

Defending

Tackles13

Interceptions12

Blocks11

Fouls committed14

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

Portland TimbersSept 2026 – now

Chicago FireAug 2025 – Sept 2026

CF MontrealJan 2020 – Aug 2025

CCavalry FCuntil Jan 2020

About J. Waterman

Joel Robert Waterman is a 30-year-old centre-back who plays for Portland Timbers, born on January 24, 1996 in Langley, standing 185 cm tall. He is from Canada. Portland Timbers currently sit 8th of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, J. Waterman has made 16 appearances with 1 goal and 0 assists across 1,108 minutes, averaging a 6.8 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 5 yellow cards. Though primarily a centre-back, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When J. Waterman plays, Portland Timbers's record this season is 10W-2D-7L — and his match ratings average 6.84 at home against 6.72 on the road.

Recent matches

September 13, 2026: 1-2 loss away at FC Dallas (90 minutes, 6.65 rating)
September 6, 2026: 5-4 win at home vs Minnesota United FC (9 minutes, 5.69 rating)
August 26, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Monterrey (96 minutes, 6.6 rating)
August 19, 2026: 2-1 win away at Orlando City SC (86 minutes, 7.5 rating)
August 14, 2026: 2-1 win away at Cruz Azul (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
August 10, 2026: 3-1 win at home vs Santos Laguna (99 minutes, 7.5 rating)
August 2, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Charlotte (96 minutes, 7.2 rating)
July 25, 2026: 1-3 loss away at New York City FC (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.2 rating)
July 22, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Inter Miami (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
May 24, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Toronto FC (28 minutes, 6.9 rating)

J. Waterman's next match is on September 27, 2026, when Portland Timbers face San Jose Earthquakes away in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Waterman at 16.9 with a Season form score of 1, ranking 429th of 480 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 2 career titles — among them the Canadian Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 9 recorded seasons, J. Waterman has totalled 182 club appearances with 7 goals and 7 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2022/23, with 32 appearances for CF Montreal.

J. Waterman's career has also included time at Chicago Fire, CF Montreal and CCavalry FC.

On the international stage, J. Waterman has represented Canada — 19 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Also this season

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Portland Timbers finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Watch points

Outlook

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Season statistics

Shooting

Passing

Possession

Defending

Yellow/red cards

Transfer history

About J. Waterman

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Transfer news

Related players

Career

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Transfer history

About J. Waterman

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Related players