Payton Linnehan
North Carolina Courage · Winger · Box Forward
The shape of Payton's game is unusually clear: 77th percentile for receiving / positioning, 2nd for defensive disruption, at 24.3, squarely in her prime.
In plain EnglishGets a shot away about every 43 minutes; builds a goal-sized chance for a teammate every 6 matches.
Above the 65th percentile in receiving / positioning, passing. Below the 35th in defensive disruption, discipline, carrying, shooting.
| Share of team touches | 3.5% |
| Average pass distance | 16.8 yds |
| Average pass verticality | -0.4 yds |
| Pass difficulty attempted | 28.7% |
| Shots per 96 | 2.22 |
| Key passes per 96 | 1.15 |
| Expected goals per 96 | 0.186 |
| Expected assists per 96 | 0.177 |
| Finishing vs expectation | -0.097 |
These are the inputs to the style space that assigns her archetype — descriptive of how she plays, deliberately separate from how well.
| Goals above replacement | 0.76 |
| Share of base cap | 3.5% |
| Forward re-pricing | +$30,118 |
Cap-implied wage distributes the league's published 2025 wage pool in proportion to goals added above replacement. It is what the cap says she should command — the NWSL does not publish actual salaries.
| Season | Club | Pos | Age | Min | g+/96 | Pctile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | POR | W | 23.3 | 887 | +0.029 | 65 |
| 2025 | NC | W | 24.3 | 1083 | -0.040 | 33 |
| Player | Pos | Club | Season | Age | g+/96 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janine Sonis | W | POR | 2024 | 29.9 | -0.025 |
| Haley Hopkins | W | NC | 2023 | 24.5 | -0.043 |
| Ashley Sanchez | W | NC | 2025 | 26.3 | +0.056 |
| Alexa Spaanstra | W | KC | 2024 | 24.4 | -0.101 |
| Ana Maria Crnogorcevic | ST | POR | 2018 | 27.7 | +0.008 |
| Tziarra King | W | SEA | 2024 | 25.9 | -0.059 |
| Makenna Morris | W | WAS | 2024 | 22.2 | +0.131 |
| Chioma Ubogagu | ST | HOU | 2016 | 23.8 | -0.131 |