Why not move between equivalent positions?

[Wheeler Dealer]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skarecrow

ovl is simply a metric to compare players by, the game doesn't use ovl in any of its calculations during a game. think of ovl as something like a grade point average (GPA).

While woolgathering......... I'll bet the OVL is used in trades, FA asking price and extension negotiations.

After all, the OVL is apparently the program's perception of value and that's what all those transactions are about.

I'll bet you could attract a better offer if you moved an underused player away from and back to his best position. Kind of like washing your car before offering to sell it. That might be pretty easy to test.

If you find an OL in the FA pool with a low current rating and a high potential you could hold him out of the lineup until his extension negotiation starts.

I haven't decided whether that would be clever management or abuse of program loopholes. To each his own I suppose.

[jesrockz]

Quote: Originally Posted by Wheeler Dealer

While woolgathering......... I'll bet the OVL is used in trades, FA asking price and extension negotiations. After all, the OVL is apparently the program's perception of value and that's what all those transactions are about.

I wish this was the case. It seems to me like the players are fully aware of their Potential. For instance, I have a TE right now that is asking for a contract. His OVL is 79 and the turd wants 4M a year! Why? Because his Potential is 87. Fricken jerk knows his future value. And it's not just this example. I've seen it over and over again at all positions.

[bblack1207]

I do it quite a bit, especially during Training Camp and early pre-season. They usually "Learn Plays" and develop the new position skill better and what was lost by doing that usually comes together quickly by the first couple of Regular Season Games.
Micheal Boley (LB) became a Consistent Pro Bowl Star at DT and actually led the league in tackles for 2 straight years.
Tony Bake (RE) became a Pro Bowler and stellar Defensive Star at RLB for me Eventually developing an Overall 95 with a 97 Potential.
Heath Miller (TE) led had 109 Receptions after converting to FB in a West coast offense.
I wanted a running QB after John Johnson (QB) suddenly disappeared in my 5th Season so I converted Harry Douglas (WR) to my 3rd String QB and he became a dependable running QB while in one particular game throwing for 291 Yards- 3 TD's, and running for 187 and 3 TD's.
So it's a Gamble but depending on your Scheme it can work out.

[jesrockz]

Quote: Originally Posted by bblack1207

I do it quite a bit, especially during Training Camp and early pre-season. They usually "Learn Plays" and develop the new position skill better and what was lost by doing that usually comes together quickly by the first couple of Regular Season Games. Micheal Boley (LB) became a Consistent Pro Bowl Star at DT and actually led the league in tackles for 2 straight years. Tony Bake (RE) became a Pro Bowler and stellar Defensive Star at RLB for me Eventually developing an Overall 95 with a 97 Potential. Heath Miller (TE) led had 109 Receptions after converting to FB in a West coast offense. I wanted a running QB after John Johnson (QB) suddenly disappeared in my 5th Season so I converted Harry Douglas (WR) to my 3rd String QB and he became a dependable running QB while in one particular game throwing for 291 Yards- 3 TD's, and running for 187 and 3 TD's. So it's a Gamble but depending on your Scheme it can work out.

That's odd...I have Boley and Bake on my team right now. Both studs, but I have them at their default positions. And how on earth could a DT lead the league in tackles?

[Wheeler Dealer]

Quote: Originally Posted by jesrockz

I wish this was the case. It seems to me like the players are fully aware of their Potential. For instance, I have a TE right now that is asking for a contract. His OVL is 79 and the turd wants 4M a year! Why? Because his Potential is 87. Fricken jerk knows his future value. And it's not just this example. I've seen it over and over again at all positions.

I don't have hard data about extensions, but I do have data on the asking prices for free agents. I noted the asking prices for all the free agents that came up for bids before the draft for 2010 and 2011 in the Sweetney path. That was about 100 FAs each year.

Free agents with the about same overall rating all want very nearly the same annual contract. The older they are, the shorter the contract they ask for. I have about 60 examples that confirm this and no exceptions.

I do believe the asking price is for a "balanced" priority so my priorities put some variation into the data.

My data would lead me to believe you could find an 81 TE (Shockey) asking $4M/yr and an 80 TE (D. Thomas) asking $3.6/yr in 2011 bidding. Antonio Gates, 91 OVL, wanted $6M/year. Sometimes the other teams drive the actual price above the asking price, particularly for superstars or in positions where quality talent is thin.

Don't let your money get mad! If you can't do better, then $4M/yr is a good deal.

If you are comparing the extension request or the bid asking price to the FA price for those that can't get jobs, yeah you can get those guys for the minimum, maybe $900K for one year.

My first year in Washington (2012) I had two OL, rookie FA on one year contracts. They both had much higher potential than current OVL. If memory serves, the RG was something like 75/87. I did not put him into the starting lineup until his negotiation started. I got him for thee years, $990K total and he quickly moved to 86/87 once he was starting. I have no examples of a RG on the market before the draft. LGs around 80 were going for about $2.5M/year.

I had a RT that was about 81/89. I got him for 5 years, $2.1M/yr. RTs in the 89-90 range were going for around $5M/year in FA bidding (3 examples). He moved up to 89/90 before year end once I put him in the starting lineup.

My conclusion is that the asking price for extensions is based on current OVL, not potential. The only other way I can think of to account for those differences would be a "home town discount" for in season negotiations. I don't think that is the case.

[jesrockz]

Is it normal for a 75 OVR QB to want 3.5M a year?

[Wheeler Dealer]

Quote: Originally Posted by jesrockz

Is it normal for a 75 OVR QB to want 3.5M a year?

That sounds about right. Most of those guys usually come up after the "top 100".

The closest match from my notes was Byron Leftwich with 76 ovl wanted $7.2M for a 2 year contract in 2010. Chad Pennington was a 77 ovl and he wanted $7.0M for 2 years in 2011.

If you want a 75 QB you can shop for a spot where you are the only bidder. That will get you about a 20% discount. Leftwich had only one bidder and he went for $5.5M for 2 years.

It appears the bid prices are appropriate for a starter and the prices off the FA list are about right for backup players.

I've made a "house rule" for myself. I only sign starters by bidding. You can cause an auction to occur by adding and dropping a player.