March 31, 2026
By Ryan Baker
There is less than a month until the start of the 2026 UFA season, and we are going to examine which collective groups on both sides of the disc improved the most.
Here are some insights into the most enhanced offenses and defenses that could have the biggest impact for their respective teams.
OFFENSES
Indianapolis AlleyCats
The complete roster turnover driven by Indy’s Head Coach Nathan Bussberg is an obvious standout. In 2025, the AlleyCats' offense was plagued by inconsistency, finishing third worst in turnovers, hold percentage, and huck completion percentage. This inconsistency stemmed largely from changing their starting offensive line every game—a situation Bussberg is directly addressing to stabilize their lineup and performance this season.
We could see some different combinations in the first few games because Indy will have to battle test their new squad, but the O-line could potentially look like Cameron Brock, Elliot Hawkins, Seth Gudeman, Jake Felton, Cole Hyzer, Jonathan Mast, and recent returner Keegan North. That line has a combination of height, experience, athleticism, and some youthful energy that could be deadly late in the season as synergy builds. Off the talent alone, this will be the most improved offense in the entire league.
Madison Radicals
It may be surprising that one of the least mentioned teams throughout the offseason is on this list, but the Madison offense could be in line for a breakout year behind last year’s UFA goal leader Anthony Gutowsky, and two second year Radicals and throwers in Kainoa Chun-Moy and Eric Sjostrom. This is an offense that averaged just 12 holds per game in 2024, the fifth-worst in the league.
Three major reasons this offense looks to be improved are that they get a full year of Sjostrom, they were able to bring back Victor Luo, and Jack Nelson is back and healthy. Sjostrom played in just seven games last year but ended up fourth on the team in assists and second on the team in throwing yards. The combo of him and Chun-Moy in the backfield was lethal in the back half of the year. Secondly, if Luo can play in the majority of the games, he will provide a much-needed veteran and dual-threat capability to the young squad. Finally, while Gutowsky had no problem scoring in 2025, it was a lot easier when Nelson was on the field, as his versatility and throwing ability would open up the deep space for Gutowsky. If health is a non-factor, the Radicals could finish as a top 10 offense in 2026.
San Diego Growlers
It’s tough for an offense to improve when it was already a top 10 unit in 2025. The reason the Growlers are on this list is because if the offense sees improvement, it could propel them into legit contenders for Championship Weekend. The biggest spot for improvement for San Diego’s offense is its ability to be smarter with the disc in close quarters and getting those smaller chunk plays.
The two signings of Brandon Van Deusen and Jonathan Lyle provide the offense with a very consistent thrower in Van Deusen and a potential All-UFA selection in Lyle. Van Deusen was one of the most efficient handlers in 2025 for Chicago and will see even more familiarity with his West Coast counterparts. Meanwhile, Lyle’s turnover numbers will go down in 2026 after being asked to carry the bulk of the Los Angeles offense last year, and he proved to be a deadly option in that short-to-middle game. Those two can directly influence the weak spot for the Growlers’ offense, and could push them into a top three offense.
Minnesota Wind Chill
It’s easy to cling to the star-studded signings for this Minnesota defense, but I think the true improvement comes on the offensive side of the disc for Minnesota. The championship contender struggled to get their offense going in a lot of games last year and relied heavily on its defense to make up that ground. Statistically, this offense ranked in the bottom third of the league in huck completions, hold percentage, completion percentage, and offensive line conversion rate.
This is where Noah Coolman and Lukas Ambrose can help out the most, and it still isn’t certain where Coolman will spend most of his time. Both are two-way threats with a taste for the big play. Coolman can effectively play in any area of the field, and Ambrose will draw a lot of attention in the cutter space, making it easier for teammates to get the offense to flow more quickly. Also, Thomas Shope is going to play a major role in this offense once he comes back from his college season. Shope scored 10 goals in just four playoff games, showing his unbelievable IQ and knack for scoring in big moments. He played 34 percent of his points on offense in the regular season, and 68 percent in the playoffs, so look for him to be a mainstay on the offensive side in the latter half of the season.
DEFENSES
Salt Lake Shred
The Shred’s defense is deep for 2026, and while they were a top defense in the league, I wouldn’t be shocked if they rivaled the Wind Chill in terms of breaks and transition offense. The four cornerstones of this defense are Alex Forsberg, Kyle Weinberg, Kimball Pew, and Sam Pew. All four are developing talents that exemplify incredible athleticism, a knack for anticipating throws, and the ability to quickly turn and get the offense going.
The Shred got back Simon Dastrup, Ben Hoffman, Jonny Hoffman, Joe Merrill, and Everett Saunders. All five played with the Shred in either 2023 or 2024, and will have major impacts on how the Shred operates its defense this year. Between Dastrup’s size, a big problem for the Shred in the playoffs last year, and Jonny and Merrill’s two-way ability, this defense is going to be in the end zone a lot in 2026.
Austin Sol
Austin could be categorized in both of the sections of this article, but I think we are going to see more improvement from the defensive side with them bringing back Matt Armour and adding the all-time UFA blocks leader Ryan Drost. From 2021-2023, this was one of the highest scoring defenses in the league, but they took a back seat the last two years.
A few different factors that play into is obviously adding Armour and Drost, but Owen Johnson, who led the team in blocks last year, will be going up against the returners of Evan Swiatek and Duncan Fitzgerald in practice, pushing his development. Iron sharpens iron, and that’s the same for fourth-year player Noah Powell. Also, with those additions, I could see Mark Henke getting a lot more defensive points this year, much like he did when the veteran core played in 2024. That builds a defensive line of Armour, Drost, Henke, Powell, Johnson, and veterans Connor DeLuna, and Mick Walter, giving them more block producers and a high-powered transition offensive attack.
New York Empire
The Empire is a similar case to the Sol, as their busy offseason could put them on either side of this article, but the two-way stars they added are going to play a major role in the defensive improvement. They were a bottom ten defense in creating blocks and break percentage, and were the Empire’s weak point in the playoffs last year.
The Empire added Alex Atkins and Daan De Marrée, who will surely play both sides of the disc, and are two of the top-ten players in the league at doing so. They will be added to defensive lines that include John Randolph, Antoine Davis, and Marques Brownlee, three guys who are the epitome of elite veteran defenders in this league. It’s also another case of iron sharpens iron, as those five will heavily influence the development of their two guys who played the most defensive points for the team in 2025, Sam Jonas and Axel Agami. Jonas is super intriguing as he burst onto the scene last year, leading the Empire in blocks, and features unreal closing speed when the disc is in the air.
Seattle Cascades
The Cascades' defensive improvement is mainly influenced by my belief in a potential Langley Fitzpatrick All-Defense selection. After Fitzpatrick’s Second Team All-Rookie selection in 2025, posting 14 blocks in eight games, he is poised to lead the Cascade defense. The Seattle defense was a squad that was on the brink of being a top-10 defense in 2025 after posting number ten finishes in total blocks and break percentage. The biggest area for improvement is the defensive line conversion rate, where the Cascades were ranked 15 in 2025.
In addition to Fitzpatrick, I foresee that Jack Brown continues his defensive prowess and ability to stretch the field in transition offense in 2026, as he played a bit more defense last year than in previous years. Two sneaky guys that could have a lot of impact on the Seattle defense are Asher Lantz, who will look to carry over the success from his first year with the Cascades in 2025, and Grant Harris, who comes over after two years in Chicago. Both of those guys are incredibly careful with the disc and will help facilitate the transition offense into the hands of Fitzpatrick and Brown. A push into the top-10 defenses for 2026 could be a real possibility with the anchors of Fitzpatrick and Brown, along with the development of Lantz and Harris.
