Im not talking about your basic franchise tips, Ive played the game since Madden 01. Sometimes things just dont work out for your team (non-injury related). I havent pulled many crazy acuisition years but some years during the offseason mode I think I put all the right players into the mix and I end up 6-10. I normally play 1-2 games during the regular season plus whatever playoff games if my team gets that far. I like taking poor franchises and build them up. Any tips from you experienced madden players out there on how to build a team, not just good on paper but that will play good as well.
so you similate some and play some?.. umm...sign young, cheap, fast players...they get better and they usually make the pro-bowl ...trade free agents (with no signing bonus / or little) for draft picks...keep doing this to get more and more.. if your 1st round pick in the offseason is worth a C+ then keep it for pre-season..if it's a B+, then trade all your picks away.....so if your situation is the first choice > then after the 1st preseason game, trade your picks away (they'll be worth more).... make sure you dont have pass or rush at 60+ % becuz you will have PLENTY mistakes that way...and be a LITTLE aggressive...late 50's early 60's... dont tag any players have good depth, cuz you never know when your #1 and #2 will go down...my first 3 QB's went down in my last franchise...all within 2 weeks also :/ have an excellent secondary and rushing game...that should get ya the wins
Going to have to disagree with NYJalltheway here, never trade away your picks before the season, unless someone wants to do a your first for their first and second type trade (which they actually might do). I feel as if they are arrogant enough to bet that my team will blow, i'm equally arrogant enough to accept it. Once you get to the offseason, be patient and creative when dealing your picks. If you're good, you should be able to turn a couple really good picks into a ton of really good picks. It all involves trade downs, collecting lower picks and trading up with those, then repeating the process. Takes a lot of time, and no two offseasons are the same, but it's very rewarding. And Franchise tags are always a good thing to use, but that guy has to be dealt immediately.
really? tags always cost me BIG bucks...if you can't re-sign him, then let him go and sign him in FA for cheaper..it works for me and i guess, all franchises are different, cuz you have a differerent team with different players
I've been playing since the first Madden game on Genesis. I did take this past season off. I've been much more of a NCAA guy the past several years.
If you're only interested in a perticular player for the upcoming season, 99% of the time they'll sign a one year deal cheaper than the Franchise Tag cost.
Strictly I make a point of not trading guys, at all, unless its for picks. When you sign FA's, if they are under 29, give them 7 year deals. This will save you money because the game automatically backloads the contract. Also, the higher bonus you give to these guys, the more money you save. Watch you cap status as you offer higher and higher signing bonuses. When it stops going up, stop increasing the bonus. This will save you the most money. When trading for picks, keep all of them and then after the last game of the season look to see who has the lowest record (if it is a tie then go by strength of schedule, worst gets first pick). Then trade your first rounder and maybe third rounder to that team for their first rounder. You'll be absent a third rounder, so maybe you can trade one of your guys for a third rounder. That way you will be picking first in the draft. You can pick anyone you want.
I use the tag every year to tag a player i don't really want back, even if he is good. And then use him to trade up in the draft. They also need to make it so you trade the rights of a player you already picked during the draft.
you can't because Madden (retartedly) doesn't keep the same name or ability for the draft. All they do is create completely random college players not based on anything at all. Weird, but thats the way it is. So you can't draft real players.
U know I was bored today and after my 1st year with the Colts I traded Peyton James Harrison Reggie and some other top Offensive players and picks to get the top 10 picks in the draft . Damn the colts D was crazy good . So from a 14-2 with blowouts Sb winning year to a 8-8 1 -3 pt losses and wins to barely winning the division by a game what a good year for simming!
I also gotta ask you guys, what sort of linemen are the best to draft? I mean generally I see smaller/faster o-linemen perform better than your like 6'8" 350lb linemen with all strength and no speed.
