WOW! It has been awhile since I made one of these articles but I figured I’d dust of the pen and paper and tell you guys who got the best value out of the team draft! With some math, perhaps? I’m not sure, I’ll show you guys how I got there and you can decide. Keep in mind this has nothing to do with the owners and their histories in the VFL, just the team that was picked and the amount they were picked for. Let’s go!
10. Cardinals (Ebok)
10th in team Overall (76) 10th in Offense (67) 9th in Defense (73) T-7th in Salary (6.5M)
Look, I get it, Madden has always been about speed (and now about having abilities) *also imagine a 79 overall player being a Superstar (Kyler Murray)* so the overalls of the team and their positions don’t really matter. The Cardinals have some good speed on the team (Marquise Brown 97SPD, Robbie Anderson 96SPD, Kyler 91SPD, Isaiah Simmons 93SPD to name a few) so I understand why they were picked, especially in mid tier style teams. The really bad part of this team is the offensive line and could get abused by the likes of the defensive lines that were drafted. The gamechangers on this team could lie on the shoulders of JJ Watt Budda Baker, and the other people mentioned in the speed talk. He’s going to need elite players to make this team work, which I don’t doubt he will find. Hopefully the salary situation won’t hinder ebok in his choices this season.
9. Jaguars (Smitty)
6th in team Overall (83) 8th in Offense (76) T-7th in Defense (77) T-7th in Salary (6.5M)
The Jags may have fit somewhere else in my rankings if it wasn’t for a penalty that was taken during the bidding? (So I’m taking what Koolaid said and that it was the truth and making the cap penalty as part of the team salary) Look, this teams highest overally player is a LG and he’s only an 86. They have some good receivers, a good runningback, some good defensive backs, and a great quarterback by this seasons standards. Looking through this roster it’s hard to find a standout gamechanger. I think big plays will be limited with this team and smitty will have to draft the right people to have methodical drives, not turn the ball over, and play within the confines of the team.
8. Seahawks (Mallard)
7th in team Overall (79) 7th in Offense (78) T-7th in Defense (75) T-3rd in Salary (2.5M)
I really like some of the pieces on Seattles team. They have some really good playmakers in DK Metcalf, Jamaal Adams, Tariq Woolen (98SPD), and Kenneth Walker. The weak spot of this team is both sides of the trenches. I don’t love Geno but he’s doable this season. Mallard is going to need to find some good defensive line users to get some pressure and stop the run, while finding some good running backs to hand the ball too. Maybe he should look to whoever was running the ball on the Browns last season?
7. Giants (Beachmode)
7th in team Overall (82) 9th in Offense (74) T-7th in Defense (77) 1st in Salary (1M)
Initially when I started jotting down some notes for this article I was debating on which team I would put last, these Giants or the Jaguars, then I started overthinking it and numbers got involved. This teams quarterback may be the worst out of the bunch, there’s not a ton of speed on the team but they do have Slayton at receiver. One spot I really like is the d-line. A bunch of gamechangers all along there. And I haven’t even mentioned Saquon yet, so I take back what I said in the Seahawks thread (well maybe I don’t) and recommend HE looks at who was running the ball for the Browns last season, too. I’d also look at some good users to make that defense look nice. One thing Beachmode has going for him is that he controls the draft (MOST CAP)! I didn’t see that coming.
6. Raiders (Ohio)
8th in team Overall (81) 6th in Offense (82) 6th in Defense (78) T-3rd in Salary (2.5M)
Da Raidaaaaaaaaaaaaaz (Chris Berman voice, if you know, you know) I like this team! They have some decent players and a decent amount of them have abilities. Derek Carr isn’t terrible and has an arm on him, Davante who’s a top receiver PERIOD, Waller, Max Crosby, Chandler Jones, AND Josh Jacobs! I like the amount that was paid for this team where they should be able to land a good line(s) to take advantage of these players. A big hole in this team is the secondary so Ohio is going to have to find him some good cover guys in the draft to enhance this team and help reach its potential!
5. Ravens (Brady)
2nd in team Overall (88) T-3rd in Offense (85) 3rd in Defense (87) 10th in Salary (9M)
The Ravens have studs all over the team! They would be ranked higher if they didn’t come at the price that was paid for them. I’m sure Brady and whoever he plays with is going to be just fine and win a ton of games with them. Lamar is awesome, the DBs are great, good safeties, Campbell and Pierce at DT, and can’t forget about Mark Andrews. I could see this team running a lot (probably more with the QB than RB) so he’s going to need to find a QB who maybe has played running back in the past to maximize the potential (Maybe BLK or dare I say the Fear/Shady combo?) The cap with most likely hinder their 3rd line but if they go all out on finishing his line + the second line this could be a Super Bowl contending squad!
4. Vikings (Johnny)
T-4th in team Overall (85) 2 in Offense (87) 4th in Defense (84) 5th in Salary (3.5M)
I know that most of you are surprised this isn’t my #1 team (SKOOOOOOOOOOOOL) but I’m not a biased individual so you are getting a fair write-up. Kirk is a very accurate passer but he’s got a noodle arm. You’ve got to love having the best WR in football in JJettas along with Dalvin Cook and the Hock offense. Defensively you’ve got Danielle Hunter, Big Z, and Harry the Hitman (favorite player but he runs like he’s lagging slowwwwwwwwwww). And that’s the problem with the team is outside of Booth and Cine they aren’t very quick on D, and they really aren’t very quick on O, so like the Jaguars above Johnny is going to have to find good players that play within the confines of this team and don’t give up the big play. Crazy how the team ranked 32nd in overall defense is somehow an 84 overall in that category (in case you needed proof that madden was fake, you have it).
3. 49ers (Bhedden)
2nd in team Overall (90) 5th in Offense (84) 1st in Defense (90) T-7th in Salary (6.5M)
The 49ers are back in the VFL this season. Crazy they weren’t picked with as good as this roster is! (We all know why, it’s because of their quarterback) This roster is stacked from top-to-bottom with McCaffery, Kittle, Trent Will, Deebo, Warner, Bosa, and the list goes on-and-on-and-on! Some quarterbacks I’ve talked to in here love Trey Lance and others want nothing to do with him. Outside of quarterback their secondary isn’t anything to be speaking highly of. The salary will handicap them a little bit but I think their are people/lines hoping to get picked up by this team. Good pick!
2. Dolphins (Beaste)
T-4th in team Overall (85) T-3rd in Offense (85) 5th in Defense (81) 2nd in Salary (2M)
Beaste’s team had a surprising exit after a first round bye in last seasons playoffs so he’s going to try and right that ship this season, maybe with a chip on his shoulder. He took the (maybe most controversial team) Dolphins with baby-noodle, ramen-noodle, chicken-noodle arm Tua. Why can nobody be successful with this team? Since the VFL has came back I can only recall them making the playoffs once (with ebok) and they forfeited that round because of, lets say, things. They have two of the fastest receivers in the game in Waddle & Tyreek, super fast running back in Mostert, a decent d-line with a good back-end. The weak spot on the team is obviously Tua and the offensive line outside of Armstead (they are BAAAAAAAD). If Beaste can find someone who can get the most out of Tua (and a lefty) he might have something good on his hands, having the second most cap space.
1. Eagles (Tpbraves)
1st in team Overall (92OVR) 1st in Offense (92) 2nd in Defense (89) 6th in Salary (5.5M)
SHOCKER! How did we let the TEAM that won the SUPER BOWL against ALL THE OTHER TEAMS make it IN TO THIS DRAFT and they WEREN’T THE HIGHEST BIDDED ON? Imagine bidding more on the Jags, Ravens, Cardinals, and 49ers when you could’ve had these guys! Tpbraves is a good player and good owner, he got the best team, best roster top down this season. Abilities everywhere on the field at QB, O-Line, D-Line, DB, WR, need I say more. Quez Watkins is a demon. Hurts’ throw power may be an issue but it sure wasn’t last season. Are the Eagles going to continue the trend of winning Super Bowls on this Madden like the Chiefs were last Madden? I’d say they’ve got a shot!