The Denver Post’s Daniel Boniface answers questions in the Rapids Mailbag.

Pose a Rapids- or MLS-related question for the Rapids Mailbag.

Why in the world are the Rapids chasing Tim Howard when Clint Irwin was one of their most consistent contributors last season? Shouldn’t they be focusing on offensive players? And replacing all of the defenders they have lost this offseason?

— Jody, Denver

Why is there interest in an older goalkeeper like Tim Howard? Why trade away a proven young GK when that money and roster spot can be used for some offensive firepower. Is it to just try and get people in seats and winning doesn’t matter?

— Andrew Rivera, La Junta

Jody and Andrew: First off, the disclaimer: All the Tim Howard speculation stems from one ESPN report that cites unnamed sources. We don’t know who is providing this information, the Rapids have not commented and Howard’s agent has not returned my calls.

Howard is still one of the biggest names in U.S. soccer and considering his longevity in the English Premier League and success at the international level, one could argue he’s the greatest American soccer player ever produced. If the Rapids were to sign him, it would generate buzz in Denver and put butts in seats out at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. A number of people have told me this week they would definitely go to more Rapids games if Howard was on the team. Howard turns 37 in March, but he should still have enough in the tank to play at a high level in MLS. Remember goalkeeper Kasey Keller was still quite good for the Seattle Sounders in the twilight of his career.

That said, I think you are right to question this move — even after the Clint Irwin trade. Zac MacMath is a quality keeper at a much more affordable price than Howard. He’s younger than Irwin and has started more games in MLS. The Rapids had a year to evaluate him and are comfortable with him as the starter. John Berner started 17 games last year for Charlotte Independence and would slot in fine as backup. The Rapids clearly have much larger holes to fill on their roster than goalkeeper and if they are planning to make a big splash financially (as it appears they are) the money could be better spent elsewhere. Colorado needs to bolster its offense and add depth at fullback.

With training less than a week away, the Rapids have traded away their No. 1 keeper and at the same time haven’t put together a roster that can compete in MLS. What, specifically, are they doing to fill the myriad needs they have?

— Mark Weatherley, Boulder

Mark: The Rapids are playing things close to the vest, but here’s what I know. Colorado has gone on record confirming interest in Mexican international winger Carlos Vela and American midfielder Alejandro Bedoya. They have also been linked to Mexican striker Alan Pulido and Brazilian center back Felipe in other reports.These moves seem to make a lot of sense, and Colorado seems to have piled up a fair amount of allocation money through trades, but time is running out. And the Pulido deal appears to be hung up in red tape. As you noted, the Rapids report to camp on Friday. It’s crunch time.

I wouldn’t count out a move for Bedoya just yet as he’s voiced a desire to move stateside for some time and would be a good fit considering the Rapids’ needs. It appears his club, Nantes FC, is driving a hard bargain, but in my opinion, it’s a situation worth monitoring as long as the Rapids own the top slot in the player allocation ranking. If you ask me, Bedoya makes a lot more sense than Howard.

Training camp is around the corner. The entire offseason has gone by and very little has been done to address the fact that the Rapids scored only 33 goals in 34 games last season. Why should fans have any reason to think that the Rapids will be improved this coming season?

— Bill Fischer, Joplin, Missouri

Bill: Colorado is still a few pieces away from being a contender, in my opinion. If they can complete some of the rumored deals (mentioned above), I think they can put themselves in the conversation. But, the Western Conference is tough and only getting tougher.

The comments that Drew Moor and Clint Irwin made to the Toronto Sun about the Rapids’ need to catch up with the rest of MLS shouldn’t exactly instill much confidence either.

Colorado did add midfielder Marco Pappa, but reports about him being stabbed in the stomach in December also are disheartening for fans.

I’m going to withhold judgement on their offseason moves until we see how their senior roster lineup shapes up before the first match that counts in March. But as of now, Jan. 21, it’s a work in progress.

Sure, having Kevin Doyle and Luis Solignac for a full season will help. And a year of MLS experience for Juan Ramirez will help too. As it stands now, I don’t think fans have any reason to expect improvement. The good news is, compared to last year, there is only one direction the Rapids can go in the standings.

Can someone tell me what the plan is? Fan favorites traded away. Why as a fan should I care?

— N. Williams, Arvada

Is there a plan for success for the Rapids and if so, does anyone know what it is?

— Carter Headrick, Centennial

N. Williams and Carter: You may have heard ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman on Tuesday’s episode of Extra Time Radio proclaim that Rapids’ front office has no plan. I have to disagree with that. There is a plan. The failings lie in the overall execution.

The Rapids have defined the system they want to play. They are using data analytics and scouting to find the players they think can fit that system. And they are focused on finding undervalued assets in MLS and abroad, buying low and selling high. Colorado hopes this will translate to wins. But so far, it hasn’t.

Twellman also said he couldn’t decipher who is the leading voice in the Rapids front office. From my perspective, it’s VP of soccer operations Paul Bravo. But I do think Bravo takes into consideration the opinions of coach Pablo Mastroeni, sporting director Padraig Smith and director of soccer Claudio Lopez.

It is apparent the Rapids are the laughing stock of MLS, the new Chivas USA, with zero direction or plan for the future. What will it take this year for significant front office and coaching changes?

— Chris Appleton, Denver

Chris: Another season like the last two would probably be adequate grounds for firing. But who knows? The Nuggets are more than 40 games under .500 over the last three years and their front office executives just got multiyear extensions.

It’s hard to say what Kroenke Sports is grading their performance on, if not wins and losses.

Do members of the Rapids front office ever communicate with the media? A frustration as a fan is the absence of any explanation for the roster decisions they make. Are they aloof? Do they deflect? What gives?

— Steve V., Kansas City

Steve: Typically during the season, the Rapids’ front office and head coach Pablo Mastroeni are quite accessible. Mastroeni has two to three weekly availabilities and vice president of soccer operations Paul Bravo is usually available upon request.

I have not spoken with either since the end of last season, but haven’t sought a meeting either. I have gone through their PR staff to have the occasional question answered.

The roster is a work in progress and I am sure they will answer questions on the decisions that were made once the players return for camp. I’ve never felt they are aloof. There are times when I’ve felt some topics are deflected, but I think that’s the nature of sports sometimes.

Any word on any summer friendlies coming to DSGP this year?

— John Rosch, Denver

John: I have not heard of any summer friendlies scheduled for Dick’s Sporting Goods Park yet. However, the Vail Daily reported last week that two Bundesliga teams, Mainz 05 and Borussia Moenchengladbach, will train in Colorado this summer. They plan to take on two Mexican clubs, yet to be named, at the U.S. Air Force Academy and Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The Denver Post’s Daniel Boniface answers questions in the Rapids Mailbag.

Pose a Rapids- or MLS-related question for the Rapids Mailbag.

Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or @danielboniface