Rebuilding Teams
 

I left the Buccaneers head coaching job after my first year using the 2008 NFL Draft and the Buccaneers aren't that good.

Jack English Path
New York Jets finished 7-9 in my first year.
Drafted Jack English in 2009 and Xavier Cox moved him to from left end to 3-4 right en in my 3-4 scheme. Cox is a beast he got by a double team of Bryant McKennie and Steve Hutchinson to sack the quarterback.

Ozzie Jones Path
Miami Dolphins finished 5-11 in my first year.
Drafted Joe Kain, Cauraun Lawrence, and Ozzie Jones.

Mike Zazzali Path
Oakland Raiders 11-5
Took a 1-15 Oakland Raider team to the Super Bowl with rookie quarterback Mike Zazzali and rookie left tackle Geoff Schafer from Arkansas. Got Schafer in round 2.

Maceo Sweetney Draft
Miami Dolphins 10-6
Got Luke Rambis and Maceo Sweetney with the first 2 picks in the 2011 NFL Draft. Its tough to win in this division with the Patriots and Gary Hammermil on the Jets.

I figured it would be more of a challenge to get through the AFC by rebuilding a struggling franchise. So that is what I decided to do. Once I win a Super Bowl, get fired or run low on cap room I'll go to a different team because I enjoy the challenge of rebuilding a team from scratch. I'll go to the team that picks first in the NFL Draft.

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

Heh, that's what I did - Bucs at first, then rebuilt (I guess rebuilding?) the Jets

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

I'm rebuilding the Cardinals. Pretty tough task so far. Good cap space but the staff is dreadful, there are only three good players, zero depth and very few draft picks. 2009 & 2010 were an exercise in trading down. I'm in an unfamiliar path (Zazzali) so the fun should increase, as usual, as the current players fade/retire (I HATE current players)

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

In my experiences, Jets are the hardest. Low cap, bad contracts, all in all just doesnt fit in with MY kind of team. But the most fun rebuilding team was doing pretty much EXACTLY what Atlanta did, get Turner (Beast) and Ryan. Power backs, when rebuilding, are the way to go. Good teams can have speed guys, but when your O Line is below average they get hit in the backfield alot. I usually get him in the off season or trade for Jamal Williams if the BRowns draft a good RB sleeper. Those too have amazing production for me.

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

I rebuilt the Chiefs trough the draft mostly. I dont think ive even gotten a free agent besides the first year. Anyways, I had my career posted on some EA Sports website forum but it got deactivated so I lost the post. I might post it here. But ive won the Super Bowl almost every year and I have Dane Morrow as my QB. The year is like 2023 and im in the Duncan Heyward draft.

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

Why is it everyone quits teams with low cap space? Isn't it just a much as a challenge to keeping a team strong after rebuilding them? You're only playing half the game by doing that.

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

It is a little weird...I commonly look at new jobs and prefer the ones in the worst cap position. I actually left a team after winning two Superbowls and went to another team with no first or second round picks (traded to me at my old team), and under $2 million in cap space. In three years I was a 14 win team.

I enjoy making it as hard as possible.

Re: Rebuilding Teams
 

Yeah after a few years you get close to the cap, but if you can resign key players and keep bringing in good guys from the draft you are in great shape; the big salary guys are worth the money, and you can win easily. After some point in time, I had an Oakland team with every player under contract for another year (I drafted them all), and I had at least 15 picks in the next draft (although like only 3 in the first 2 rounds). I can admit that the Jones and English paths do lead to this kind of crazyness. I also had a loaded staff from going 7-9 in my first year.

As for moving to teams with bad cap situations, it forces you to have crappy players that you can't move. They probably have less draft picks than the team you've built up as well.

As for teams to rebuild, Lions, Rams and Chiefs are easy, Raiders and Washington are tougher. Things are always harder if you don't do the 2008 draft.