Training Camp Drills
The pre-season begins with Training Camp. Here, you'll select specific players to participate in drills designed to boost their attributes. Each drill focuses on a particular skill (e.g., 'Pass Rush' for defensive linemen, 'Route Running' for receivers). Successfully completing these drills provides a permanent attribute boost to the participating player. Choose players who are close to a development trait upgrade or those who need a specific boost to become starters.
- Objective: Improve player attributes through drills.
- Strategy: Prioritize players with 'Star' or 'Superstar' development traits, as their boosts are more impactful. Also, target players who are on the bubble for a starting spot.
- Reward: Permanent attribute boosts for selected players.
Pre-Season Games & Roster Cuts
You'll play four pre-season games. While the scores don't count, these games are vital for evaluating your roster, testing new schemes, and determining your depth chart. Use these games to give playing time to rookies and bubble players. After each pre-season game, you'll need to make roster cuts to get down to the NFL's 53-man limit. This involves releasing players, trading them, or placing them on the practice squad. Carefully consider player potential, contract size, and positional needs.
- Objective: Evaluate roster, set depth chart, make roster cuts.
- Strategy: Use the 'Auto Reorder Depth Chart' feature as a baseline, then manually adjust based on pre-season performance. Prioritize players with higher development traits even if their OVR is slightly lower initially.
- Reward: Optimized 53-man roster, established depth chart for the regular season.