I think you’re missing the point. EA doesn’t need to just recalculate overall ratings. They need to take a deeper look at individual ratings like canes21 is talking about, and they need to flesh out strengths and weaknesses.
It’s not about lowering overalls. It’s about how changing the way they rate players would certainly affect gameplay if the ratings changes were a better reflection of what we see on the field every Sunday.
Why does every corner in the game have almost equal man and zone coverage ratings (the gap between the two ratings for an individual is typically no more than four or five points)? Why can’t an edge player be a great third down rush option but be awful in run defense? Any edge with good pass rushing ability has inflated ratings that make them an every down option. And, honestly, I think the answer to a lot of this is that the current ratings in madden don’t really allow for this type of nuance, which even further proves the point that a ratings revamp is needed and could have a large impact on gameplay (just look at how the new change of direction rating has already left an impression on beta players).
I get that gameplay is the priority. But let’s not dismiss the fact that the current ratings system hinders the gameplay we’re seeing right now, and try to understand that a re-examining of the system, as a whole, could really create a deeper and more realistic gameplay.