The offseason is entering an important stretch for the Georgia Swarm Professional Lacrosse Team.
Following a run to the 2026 NLL semifinals, the Swarm have already brought back much of the core that helped lead the team to its deepest playoff run in nearly a decade. Now, with free agency and the 2026 NLL Entry Draft on the horizon, teams across the league are putting the final pieces in place for the 2026-27 season.
So, what should you expect next in the upcoming months?
Free agency has seen several changes to its schedule this offseason.
The National Lacrosse League announced on August 31, 2026, that free agency would be pushed back from its previously scheduled date of September 1. The new opening date is Friday, September 18. The change gives teams additional time to finalize their rosters before the 2026 NLL Entry Draft later in the month.
For the Swarm, much of the offseason has already been focused on retaining the group that helped Georgia reach the semifinals last season. The team has brought back the majority of its key returning players like Brett Dobson, Lyle Thomson, Shayne Jackson, Bryan Cole etc., giving Georgia a strong foundation heading into free agency. With the majority of the core back, free agency could provide an opportunity for the Swarm to address specific roster needs and add additional depth before the start of the season.
The next major date comes just six days later.
The 2026 NLL Entry Draft is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, at 6 p.m. ET.
The league originally scheduled the Entry Draft for September 10 before announcing the two-week postponement on August 31. The draft will be held virtually and will be available for fans to watch. The first round will be produced by the NLL’s broadcast team, with the league expected to announce where fans can watch as the event approaches.
The Swarm currently hold two first-round selections — No. 9 and No. 11 overall.
That gives Georgia two opportunities to add young talent to the roster and develop future players to join their returning core.
While it is too early to know exactly who will be available when the Swarm is on the clock, there is plenty of talent in the 2026 draft class.
Several players have already drawn attention from lacrosse analysts, including Finn Thomson, Joey Spallina, Silas Richmond, Matt Collison and Dante Bowen. However, draft rankings and mock drafts are projections and can change significantly before draft night. More details to come before the draft.
For Swarm fans, the most important thing to watch will be which prospects remain available when Georgia’s selections at No. 9 and No. 11 arrive. Rather than trying to predict the picks, the Swarm will have the opportunity to evaluate the available talent and select the players they believe best fit the organization’s future.
Another potential factor in the offseason is the league’s dispersal process as the Ottawa Black Bears and the Philadelphia Wings franchises seek new ownership or cease operations.
Under the NLL’s previous dispersal-draft rules from back in 2024, eligible players could be selected by teams, while selections could also be traded for players, other dispersal-draft selections or NLL Entry Draft selections.
Teams could pass on their selection, but once a team passed, it would be finished selecting for the remainder of that draft. The process would end once every eligible player was selected or all teams had passed. Any player who remained unselected would become a free agent.
The league’s final rules and player list for the 2026 dispersal process should be confirmed before the process takes place.
For the Swarm, the biggest story of the offseason has been continuity. After reaching the semifinals last season, Georgia has retained the majority of its core, including key veterans and young players who played important roles during the playoff run.
Now, the organization has two first-round picks, the opening of free agency, and potentially additional roster moves ahead of the 2026-27 season. Schedule release could happen as early as late September or early October. NLL season kicks off the last week in November. More to follow in upcoming weeks.
Key Dates
September 18: NLL Free Agency opens
September 24: 2026 NLL Entry Draft — 6 p.m. ET
Georgia’s first-round selections: No. 9 and No. 11
Schedule Release: Late September/Early October
