Mentoring

[timhere1970]

Haven't seen a lot of discussion on mentoring strategy in franchise mode so I thought I would open a thread dedicated to how players are incorporating this in their franchise. Now I have played a lot of franchise starting my franchise day one of early release. I am in 2032 currently but don't play every game. Have not paid a lot of attention to it except to make sure in the beginning to get a mentor to back up Kenny Pickett.

Then thinking about it just went away as I went on to stack my team with young players, most of which would never get in games. This weekend I started putting some thought into the system. Here is my current philosophy.

Sign mentors as free agents. I don't mean get in a bidding war for 73 overall players in free agency with multi year contracts that will ruin your cap. Week one of preseason sign a mentor to every position you can if you have the cap space. Of course, prioritize positions you have young players at. These free agents have no cap penalties so you can release them anytime. Might as well have them on the team through preseason to get younger players that extra boost. No reason to have an empty roster spot in preseason when a mentor is available. You can cut them week four with no repercussions. You can take them out of the depth chart so they don't take playing time from youngsters.

I wouldn't recommend cutting them all though as they help a lot. It is better to keep one young player per position and a mentor as that player will develop more than if you have just young backups. Young players that are not going to get snaps in the regular season belong on the practice squad unless a high draft pick you don't want snatched. Turn on or off practice squad stealing as you desire. Even with it on you are helping develop young players that can help other teams. We all know that mediocre veterans hang around forever and block young players because their overall is one point higher. Alleviated some this year through tags.

I have started cutting down on the amount of youngsters I have in favor of carrying mentors that don't play a lot unless multiple injuries occur. I will end up with better developed players but less of them and it feels more genuine than having bunches of young talent just waiting for a chance that never comes and as a result they never develop into what they could be for league.

What are your best practices on mentoring?

[icicle22]

Re: Mentoring

Haven't seen a lot of discussion on mentoring strategy in franchise mode so I thought I would open a thread dedicated to how players are incorporating this in their franchise. Now I have played a lot of franchise starting my franchise day one of early release. I am in 2032 currently but don't play every game. Have not paid a lot of attention to it except to make sure in the beginning to get a mentor to back up Kenny Pickett.

Then thinking about it just went away as I went on to stack my team with young players, most of which would never get in games. This weekend I started putting some thought into the system. Here is my current philosophy.

Sign mentors as free agents. I don't mean get in a bidding war for 73 overall players in free agency with multi year contracts that will ruin your cap. Week one of preseason sign a mentor to every position you can if you have the cap space. Of course, prioritize positions you have young players at. These free agents have no cap penalties so you can release them anytime. Might as well have them on the team through preseason to get younger players that extra boost. No reason to have an empty roster spot in preseason when a mentor is available. You can cut them week four with no repercussions. You can take them out of the depth chart so they don't take playing time from youngsters.

I wouldn't recommend cutting them all though as they help a lot. It is better to keep one young player per position and a mentor as that player will develop more than if you have just young backups. Young players that are not going to get snaps in the regular season belong on the practice squad unless a high draft pick you don't want snatched. Turn on or off practice squad stealing as you desire. Even with it on you are helping develop young players that can help other teams. We all know that mediocre veterans hang around forever and block young players because their overall is one point higher. Alleviated some this year through tags.

I have started cutting down on the amount of youngsters I have in favor of carrying mentors that don't play a lot unless multiple injuries occur. I will end up with better developed players but less of them and it feels more genuine than having bunches of young talent just waiting for a chance that never comes and as a result they never develop into what they could be for league.

What are your best practices on mentoring?

First of all, this is a really cool idea. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but is there any evidence that this actually does anything in the game? I have never read or seen anything where the Madden team has said that they coded the game to take advantage of having a veteran as a mentor would help anything. I hope it does. I wish that it does.

However, without anything stating this actually works, it seems purely cosmetic and just a way to make you "feel" like it's more authentic. And to be honest, as a pure sim type of player it isn't a bad idea to use roster spots with veterans to be mentors. That's a real life thing. I'm just not sure it actually does anything in the actual game via the code that probably doesn't exist to acknowledge the mentor is doing anything for the rookies development.

I hope I am wrong cause this feature would be awesome.

[Tonka3013]

Re: Mentoring

I try to have the best starters I can and a quality backup who might backup several positions. Like a 5th LB who is my ROLB2, LOBL2 and MLB3, or a lineman that backs up every position.

Beyond that, I do what you describe. I sign the cheapest mentors I can find to fill out the depth behind any young players I'm trying to develop. Sometimes that's a 73 rated CB who fills in as my dime CB. Sometimes its a 43 rated TE who I keep off my depth chart.

What I wonder about is the positions that get the mentor boost. I assume that a RG mentor will only boost my RG, not my LG. So if I have 2 young OL, I might stack them in the same position with a mentor or two. Then fill the other roster spots with cheap players and use the depth chart to get the right lineup. But I don't really like doing that anymore. The lack of symmetry bothers me.

[timhere1970]

Re: Mentoring

Yes, it does and easily demonstrated. Do a weekly strategy and look at the amount of xp earned. Sign a mentor and then do the same thing the next week and look at the amount of xp earned. Keep the same focus of course.

[icicle22]

Re: Mentoring

Yes, it does and easily demonstrated. Do a weekly strategy and look at the amount of xp earned. Sign a mentor and then do the same thing the next week and look at the amount of xp earned. Keep the same focus of course.

Really? Does it actually say something about "mentor" boost in the XP description? I am shocked I have never heard of this feature as it seems like a "back of the box" kind of feature they'd be touting as "All New mentor system".

You mention "sign a mentor" in your repy....is that a trait listed in the players bio or is the mentor just someone we know in the real world would be a seasoned vet who's primary role would be as a mentor to some younglings?

[timhere1970]

Re: Mentoring

Really? Does it actually say something about "mentor" boost in the XP description? I am shocked I have never heard of this feature as it seems like a "back of the box" kind of feature they'd be touting as "All New mentor system".

You mention "sign a mentor" in your repy....is that a trait listed in the players bio or is the mentor just someone we know in the real world would be a seasoned vet who's primary role would be as a mentor to some younglings?

Mentor is one of the new player "tags" like franchise QB, bridge player, day one starter. It does not say directly mentor bonus. Not at my console right now but I believe it is under bonus xp.

[timhere1970]

Re: Mentoring

When you are scrolling through free agents, under their picture to the far right it has "tags". It will be there. You don't have to click on every player to find out thank God.

[Tonka3013]

Re: Mentoring

First of all, this is a really cool idea. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but is there any evidence that this actually does anything in the game? I have never read or seen anything where the Madden team has said that they coded the game to take advantage of having a veteran as a mentor would help anything. I hope it does. I wish that it does.

However, without anything stating this actually works, it seems purely cosmetic and just a way to make you "feel" like it's more authentic. And to be honest, as a pure sim type of player it isn't a bad idea to use roster spots with veterans to be mentors. That's a real life thing. I'm just not sure it actually does anything in the actual game via the code that probably doesn't exist to acknowledge the mentor is doing anything for the rookies development.

I hope I am wrong cause this feature would be awesome.

I think each mentor adds 150 XP each week to every player at the same position.

https://www.madden-school.com/madden-23-franchise-sign-every-free-agent-you-can-with-this-player-tag/

[timhere1970]

Re: Mentoring

I think each mentor adds 150 XP each week to every player at the same position.

https://www.madden-school.com/madden...is-player-tag/

Really good explanation in that article.

[icicle22]

Re: Mentoring

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! I never heard of this and I guess since I have been waiting to get my franchise going I haven't seen this yet. Good to know and thanks for sharing. You learn something new every day.

[timhere1970]

Re: Mentoring

Also, it may be preferable to sign mentors that also have the bridge player tag. Many have both tags. This will help with the depth chart moving them ahead of future starter tagged players. If your like me and don't remember to check your depth chart before each game and the auto reordering the system already does.