Even the Lions can be a dynasty.

[liquidmuse]

I posted this in the "Cardinals franchise" thread, but in case it gets buried...

I took on the Lions, the worst-rated team, handled all the franchise elements, & then simmed the seasons. I'm in year 20, & I've won 10 Super Bowls. Yes, with the cap on. What i do every year---
1st)re-sign my homegrown players if they're over 80, & the "foreign" players if they're over 90. I give the negotiations 3 trys, rounding up to the next 10 million each time. If the agent still refuses, apply the franchise, or just let them go. My paradigm for contracts is based on a 5/5/3/1 template from their rookie year...meaning 5 years, then another 5, etc., all the way till 14 years---then, unless they're over 90, let them go.
2)Before free agency, I look @ the depth chart---any guy not needed(the 3rd QB, the 4th RB, etc.), I look to let go to clear space. Under 70 release, over 70 trade for draft picks. If you *really* need cap space, IMO, trade the guys under 80 making a million or more for picks. Sometimes this accrues cap penalties for your next off-season, but eventually this evens out.
3)Free agency, I generally make a play @ everybody over 80, except kickers & punters, who I only go after if they're over 90. In terms of contract, I use the same template, & it seems to work out pretty good, in terms of keeping a player effective---i.e., if they have 1 year experience, I sign them to a 4 year contract...10 years experience, a 3 year contract. Whatever rounds up to the 5/5/3/1 template.
4)The draft---pre-draft, if a player is under 90 & has 10 years of tread or more, trade them for draft picks. If you get over the allotted 10 picks, just start giving them the pick @ the bottom of your draft(7 & work your way up). Stockpiling picks in the 3-5 range keeps you in good, cheap talent if you've scouted effectively.
5)The draft---don't forget to scout before you play or sim your season!---& my preference is essentially to do what I'd do if I was a GM(or George Young)---scout the guys with good name & good college ;o) ...sounds weird, I know, but Jim Druckenmiller never had a chance, while Joe Montana did. Averages out in your favor. I generally prefer the bigger guys on the line & often elsewhere, though it doesn't matter that much, &/or guys from *smart* colleges. In the PS2 franchise, I only picked guys who had IQ scores "good" or above---generally, these guys will maximize whatever athletic ability they may have. In the next gen however, they don't have this feature(yet), so I err on the side of a good school.
Lately I've been just going off my "scouted" list during the draft, & it seems my Super Bowl run has increased(If you don't mind picking a 5th round guy in the 3rd, etc.). If a scouted guy is under 70, I ignore him. When the good scouted guys run out, I go to the "available" list, & pick the guy with the most equidistant star out of the 1st 6 or so. I have zero idea what the abrvs. mean outside the star, & don't care that much. But this seems to work good, except for WRs. Most WRs suck. Oh, & I never draft for need.
6)signing---I just sign everybody to a 5-year, & if their rating is 69 or below, I just cut 'em(if they're superfluous on the depth chart---for example, the 3rd SS, & I already have 2 FS & 4 CBs.)...& if you have too many linebackers, they always make good linemen. Safeties make decent corners too(good corners are few & far between). Also be careful---if you move a player to a new position, the computer starts him there, when all you needed was minimum position fodder.
& assemble your depth chart before pre-season, & after you've weeded out your superfluous suck rookies. Having good guys ready to go as backups is key...& often, your 2nd RG is a better LT than your 2nd LT, *&* again---linebackers almost always make great linemen, so I look to seed the backups linebackers as also the back-up linemen. whatever the highest rating is---I think you can turn the computer to do this automatically, but I play it safe.
7)& clearly, a good coach, coordinators, & QB seem to be key. Matt Stafford for me did very well, but I had my eye on a QB of the future whenever I could, & got Darius Pryor(3rd round?)out of Texas @ about Stafford's 6th year...& now he's won I've lost count how many MVPs. I also hired Mike Tomlin when Schwartz's contract ran out, & he's winning @ a close to 80% clip. If another team outbids you for him in the offseason, up his contract to the next 10 mil. I've found Josh McDaniels, Rob Ryan, Housmenzatta(T.J.), Wes Welker, & Ed Reed to be great coordinators.
8)DO NOT buy stuff for your stadium. This seemed to matter in PS2, but next gen seems to be a detriment.
9)profit! ;o)

[P. Hays]

Im pretty disapointed that buying upgrades for your stadium doesnt seem to matter at all. Thats something I miss about the last gen versions

[liquidmuse]

Yeah, because it mattered, in terms of getting your fans to be more supportive, which led to it paying for itself. I also don't like the fact that your can't build a new stadium in your own town...you have to move...

[LaW97]

nice thread

you run your chise the exact way i run my own except i sign low drafted players to 7 year deals to get the most of their talent for cheap.
i sign the high drafted expensive players to 4 & 5 year deal so i can trade them when they get too expensive in the last year of the contract.

i usually have a powerhouse in no less than 4 seasons,especially if you scout well because i found that most of the cheap & B potential rated players come after the 2nd round

[bill2451]

how much are you guys scouting? if your scouting each player the full amount, then no offense, but yeah its gonna be easy

I prefer to restrict the number of times I can scout each player

[LaW97]

Quote: Originally Posted by bill2451

how much are you guys scouting? if your scouting each player the full amount, then no offense, but yeah its gonna be easy I prefer to restrict the number of times I can scout each player

i use the full 6 weeks.
sometimes you can get attributes in the scouting report that you dont even need,like speed for a LT