When I last left the game, one of the major issues with it was erratic and inconsistent QB and line play. When I saw a new update had been posted addressing these two issues I was excited, but so far from what I've seen it's somehow only exacerbated these problems.

Primary Issues:

Speed Kills: I just wrote a breakdown of the issues at various positions, but I found in each instance it comes down to this: Speed is by far the most important attribute for every non-kicking position (even QB!) simply because every other attribute is so inconsistent. For example: bad d-line so frequently blow up great o-linemen that speed is the only important attribute there, since it better translates that broken block into a sack. In short, attributes needs to be increased in value and RNG windows need to be tightened. Additionally, strength especially needs to be more important in more areas, and weight needs to be measured into this to a greater extent. Unrealistic position swapping is too rewarding.

Other issues:

Play/Formation Success Rate: As every vet of the sim with multiple teams knows, there are certain plays that always work, and certain plays/formations that will never work, no matter your personnel. You can have a hundred rated player at every position but you'll still struggle to succeed out of certain sets. This is a more challenging issue to solve, but it's a big one I feel. Not only does it severely disadvantage new players who don't know the 'correct' plays, but it also limits system diversity and play calling/personnel options.

Salary: I realize that a new update has been implemented and it'll take some time to see if it works or not, but having just gone through an allocation draft, one small adjustment would be to decrease the starting cap space. Most teams seem to have finished with around $30M under cap, but half this should be sufficient. Just a thought.

Non-Issues:

Trading: A lot folks seem to really focus in on the trading 'problem' but the reality is that the community can police itself just fine, and has mostly done so. Yes there are lopsided trades, yes it can be frustrating to see the top teams having 2-4 first round selections every season, but as long as trading is an option this is going to be the unavoidable reality. That said, so long as there is a trade bar, however, I'd like to see draft selections upped in value, and age decrease value a little more sharply. I (and I suspect other players 'notorious' for hoarding draft picks) would be quite happy shelling out for a star older players on occasion, but it's currently just not sensible to do so given the current limitations of the system. Whereas trading off our older players can net a huge haul of draft value, which is now more valuable than ever given volatility disclosure.

Anyhow, I realize what a vast undertaking it is to create a functional model of such a complex sport, and with so many working parts beneath the hood it's exceedingly difficult to tinker with it. That said, from my observations, these are the primary culprits.

Excellent well thought out post,not the usuall "this game is ****" offering.

Thanks for this well-written post, and as always thanks to everyone for your patience as the game continues to develop. Your comments do drive what I dive into next, and while I don't anticipate that the game will ever stop improving it is my goal that the issues become less and less prevalent and the game becomes more and more stable.

I do not think speed is such as issue with the line per say. Fast enough QBs with scramble carry and release will get sacked way less. You might need a comparable line but the mobility here is what avoids sacks. 1 sack in 3 preseason games. Defenses are raw in 75 but my line is only B grade QBs less and weapons even less. Varying in age and experience but the common traits they have are mobility.

I would say that there has to be a balance point or zone, between controllable QB/passing and random/erratic, simulating the way it is in professional football. Folks who are into controlling outcomes are not going to be happy when that ability to do so is impaired. Just like folks get mad when the team they bet on did not cover the spread as they obviously expected them to. And not just the passing game either, the game in general. I think its a marvelous achievement as a pro football simulation thus far and can only hope to see it continue to thrive and improve.

With respect to the oft discussed trading issue, I think there are a few things that should not be too difficult to improve. Top of the list is trade meter values for both picks & players. I saw my first 3000 pt valued player today, and even if I wanted to trade for him, I wouldnt give a first round pick for him, which is currently valued at 551 pts. And there is the problem. I offered two first round picks for an elite CB valued at 1800, which was rejected and I dont blame the gm for doing so. An elite CB is worth far more than an elite OT or TE, but that is not consistently reflected in the trade meter values. A first round pick, even a 1.32, should not be less than 900, and a second round not less than 400. IMHO that is the primary cause of mistakes, highly questionable trades, and outright abuse (collusion/cheating). All of that gets reduced significantly with more accurate valuations of players and picks.

Since your really smart on this topic how about listing five trades that involve pics that you would consider unfair or cheating. Without mentioning any from LG 2 involving the two teams already addressed, and any Rolltide ever made. This would clear up some things you are witnessing or have witnessed.

Thanks black, as you are well aware, there is and has been cheating (using multi or dupe accounts), is and has been unfair trades, depending on how you value player/picks, that have created a lot of comments in all the leagues and com forums.

There's only two items causing the problem with unbalanced trades. First, and foremost, is the extremely low meter values for picks. Second is the valuations on players not reflecting important characteristics like position (cb vs rg for example), players age, and critical or most important attributes instead of overall default value.

If those two items could be addressed, improving the valuations for both picks & players, a lot of the trade problems would be dramatically reduced. Some are happy with it the way it is, I understand why now, much more than I did before, and leave it up to game knowledge/experience and gamesmanship. I get that and agree with it. But I think there is a better balance that can be had between the two preferences, with the end result being a reduction in using multi's/dupe accounts and highly unbalanced trades. Thats my nickels worth (inflation, no longer 2 cents). And sorry, I just realized that I repeated what I stated previously, but I will fall back on the oft used phrase " it bears repeating".

It seems JD is paying attention to your guys comments and is got this on his list of changes to be made. I'm down for whatever keeps the majority of owners happy . My big problems are more or less ignored because of the solutions it it would take to fix. stopping dupe accounts, or allowing new users to jump in any league . I've mentioned it plenty enough times to realize it's not fixable.
Here one that should stick - might help rosters and the free agent problem also.
- don't allow new users who have just signed up to begin after a league has started
Allowing owners to join mid season when a team is 1-5 can can be a way of owners making things happen for themselves, if a team is not a new user allow them to enter nut restrict there trading for the current season and pick back up in free agency.
One thing that could help and keep things more realistic is
-putting a trade deadline on draft pics week 2 ends then so does the option of first rd. Pics being traded. And every week after another rd becomes locked , week 3 rd 2, week 4 rd 3. .

These are ideas I'm throwing out there
Point system for trading
Predicted top five pick between 3500-3800
Predicted 6-10 3200– 3500
11-20 2500-3200
21-32 1500-2500
2nd rd 1200
3rd rd 700
4th rd 400
5th-7th 150-400
8th year CB 350
2nd year MLB 97 overall 2700
3rd year WR 81-85 1300

The draft pick value should stay the same imo, as it is the value makes it very difficult just to trade 3 mid to late first rounders for a top 5. 3 draft picks pretty much anywhere in the draft is certainly worth a top 5. The pick values should not be messed with. I can see an argument to modify the value of older players though, there is merit in that.

I think there should be a couple "rookie leagues" basically players within their first 90-120 days could join these leagues and be able to trade and such( they would still be restricted on trading in more established leagues for 30 days) . Maybe JBD could even add some "tutorial type" things to the teams in these leagues to get players up to speed easier. The trading right away in rookie leagues would be a big sticking point, new players don't want to wait a month to trade, they want to try it out right away so that would be a good middle ground. Established vets of the game would be unable to join these rookie leagues. For the most part I do not want to see the trade values modified so heavily that it basically kills trading because it becomes impossible for owners to get what they consider fair value. Sure some users abuse trading but it shouldn't kill trading for all owners, this feature is never going to be perfect or an exact science. Even NFL teams get fleeced in trades from time to time.

Why would that kill trading ? You shouldn't be able to trade a 95 WR for 3 first rd pics and it still be in favor of the wrs team. How is this at all real or fair. A top five pick in the NFL is gold and it would take 3 first rounders in real life to move up inside the top five . But the way I had the points it would take a mid teens and a 2nd rounder . I think that trading should slowly be tweaked but your pretty much saying that this is a huge part how you get what you get. Every league I've been in with you ,your team always has two 1st rounders, three 2nd rounders and this the minimum on average your team has in every draft. I'm not saying it's cheating or an advantage because it takes value to acquire picks but let's be honest and think about the game and not Your situation. It should take more then a average G or a good TE to acquire a first rd. I'm interested in hearing from other owners and see how they feel. Because it's hard to understand how you think everything is perfect right now. Unless you count on this or what I think is you love this aspect of the game the most . And that's fine and you are good at it but the value needs to match the value and not be able to put together all kinds of loop hole trades . Not saying you do but in this setup it's a possibility. 500 is nothing and you think that's what a first should be worth? The same as a 74 G and 77 Dt ?