Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

[Broderick]

When you start your franchise/CCM, what is the most important position to you/your style of play? Personally, I look at needs in this order of priority:

QB, OL, WR, RB, DT, DE, LB, CB, S, TE, FB, P, K

Interested to see what positions are more important to you guys.

[Finren84]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

When you start your franchise/CCM, what is the most important position to you/your style of play? Personally, I look at needs in this order of priority:

QB, OL, WR, RB, DT, DE, LB, CB, S, TE, FB, P, K

Interested to see what positions are more important to you guys.

It all depends what team you are building obviously. I play in a league with the steelers and have Big Ben. Didn't need a qb, but we are in year three and he is getting up there in age so I will need to get a qb, next year to develop him. I play a balanced offense but I want speed in my receivers, I did trade mike Wallace but I got a good picks for him to add depth. I also have big maulers on the front so I can run straight at the defense. Mendenhall has become a beast for me so I drafted some young guards. I switched my defense to a 4-3 this year and spent majority of my draft picks on defense. I went LE, then a speedy ROLB I also added a speedy SS in the draft also. A speedy running back for change of pace, and also a solid WR with good CIT. Perfect for the slot, not too fast but has good hands. I would say for me though defense is a big priority. Offensive players I can usually snag through free agency. Drafts have some awesome studs on defense I always like to pick up. Next draft goes, RE then MLB, then look at a QB.

[KingV2k3]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

RT / RG / OL

Since the pass rush comes form the CPU D LE / LOLB / LDT, you need solid players on your right side...

OL in general, (IMHO) is the key to a successful Madden rebuild...

If you have time to find open receivers, then moderate talent at those positions (esp. if they can run block) are fine...

If you can pass, you can run and if you can run you can use playaction, control the clock, keep your D fresh and win...

OFTEN...

If my OL is in the 85 to 90 range, then 75s at the skill positions can work...

OL and D (LE / LDT / MLB / SS / 3 CBs / ROLB / FS in aprox that order) are MY keys...

[Gronk4M13]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

You MUST have a QB, and at least one good receiver. I also find myself needing a good receiving tight end. After that, I look at what the team needs most.

[ajra21]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

Agree with all of these points. Don't worry about high end WRs. They're the easiest position to fill IMO. A good TE does help. I also like a good blocking FB to pave the way for my HB but I know I'm in the minority.

[TheMaddenGerbal]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

My order of priority: RB,QB,WR,OL,CB,DE,LB,DT,TE,S,K,FB,P

I'm more of a rushing type of guy. I usually try to do around,
69% rushing and 31% passing.

[Ian Iachimoe]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

i try & build around a ball-hawking, man cover D, that can bring pressure w/o the blitz.

OL & DL, secondary, LB, HB, QB, TE, WR

[giantsrule01]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

Defense first, and start with CBs, can never have enough good ones. O-Line, and D-Line are key as well. Offense I usually go with last, not sure why, but I hate having a crappy D, so I go with D first, but try to balance my drafts overall. I don't usually dip into free agency, but on occasion I do. I always try to target a number of positions in the draft I want to upgrade.

Long story short, build from the trenches on both sides, but get top flight CBs.

[Inferno2ss]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

QB, LE, CB and SS are my primary focus points early on. You can hide a lot of other weaknesses in Madden.

A good LE can wreak havoc on defense by himself, a big hitter at SS will give you that 8th man in the box and you have to have a QB who can make plays. WRs and TEs are easy to find in the draft and FA.

[MooseBoyJ]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

For me I stick with D wins championships. My O isn't horrible but isn't fantastic, some of that is Im the Colts with no O-Line, but I build my top 3 corners. Vontae is a great #1 but Powers is more of a nickle corner to me so I trade to get that #2. Someone who can lock up at the line, stay with em stride for stride, and catch. I trade Freeny for picks and Lamar Miller and Mathis for picks and Trindon Holliday, AMAZING K+PR, and normally just do so so in pass coverage the first year because i have no true second CB. Depending on the draft class depends on if I draft that 2nd CB or OL. Try to develop Luck by using all I can get from #87 and then develop TY Hilton. Normally I win on the speed of Trindon on a PRTD. Since I got rid of the Cap Hog that is Freeny I can spend big bux on a CB like Talib or DRC in FA or whoever I think fits my scheme and is available. Changes every year.

[throckmeisterz]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

I'd have to say defense first, followed by RB and OL, if I'm building from scratch. You need a good OL no matter what kind of offense you play, and the difference between pass blockers and run blockers is really unimportant in the long run, as blocking skills are super cheap until they get to the mid 80s or so. Basically, I just fill my OL with guys with star dev and 90s strength. Anyway, you can build an effective rushing offense with fewer players than a passing offense, so I focus on building my impenetrable defense first.

As for defense, my first priority is getting a pass rusher, whether he plays DT or LE (I have played DEs and OLBs from the LE position, just putting my best pass rusher there no matter what). Once I have one pass rusher, I focus on finding a fast run stopping ROLB; if I don't have a good MLB, I'll just play my ROLB at MLB in the dime (otherwise I play him at DE in the dime; my ROLB is usually one of my best defensive players, so I want him playing every down). Next, I find a fast man coverage CB. My next priority is to start filling out my LBs and D line before turning my attention to a fast, hard hitting safety; good safeties are nice to have, but I find they are the icing on the cake of a good Madden defense, not as necessary as other positions. Workable CBs are a dime a dozen, so I fill out my CBs last.

With my defense in place, I try to collect a great o line and a blocking TE. If I'm playing an almost exclusive rushing offense, I will actually play a fast OT at TE. Finally, I grab a fast HB to run outside. If I can get a good HB, that's even better (even if he's a touch slow to start, speed is way cheaper than trucking or elusiveness), but a mid to high 90s speed HB with decent acceleration running outside handoffs can gain 10 yards per carry, even if he never breaks a tackle. Only once my defense and rushing offense are in place do I start building my passing game.

[andeftw]

Re: Rebuilding a team - Where do you start?

I start by looking at the team's weaknesses.
I'm currently doing a Raiders CCM and, based on their starting roster, their biggest weaknesses are the offensive line and defensive backs.

I'm currently set at LT, C and SS, all other positions need upgrades. I usually try to build through the draft. My aim is to have a starter above 80 in every position (K,P aside) and the backup above 75.