Franchise mode is one of the most popular, and most engaging, ways to play Madden NFL 26. It’s a fun challenge to grab an NFL team and control every aspect of their franchise from gameday to every day in between, trying to lead them to a Super Bowl ring.
But if you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, the best way to play Franchise mode is to take a team in dire need of a rebuild, and transform them into a powerhouse. You’ll need to be very familiar with your chosen team to pull it off; here are some teams that are already in prime position for a rebuild.
Browns
Apart from a couple of years when they had a franchise Quarterback before they needlessly got rid of him, the Browns have been in a perpetual rebuild. This year is no different, and they’re going to need more than one spark in order to come back to life.
Key Players
The Browns have a few key players that are the foundation of their team,
- Myles Garret is hands-down the best Defensive Lineman in the league, and he does not appear to be slowing down.
- Denzel Ward is one of the best CBs in the league, and he’ll keep you from needing to worry nearly as much about an opponent’s WR1 than you otherwise would.
- David Njoku is one of the biggest playmakers in the TE position. While he hasn’t always had a consistent QB throwing the ball his way, when he does, he’s capable of making highlight reels all on his own.
Team Needs
There are a few notable holes in the Browns’ roster.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
QB? |
It’s unclear whether Cleveland has their QB situation figured out, but they’ve got veteran Joe Flacco holding down the fort, while they have a few younger players under him in Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Kenny Pickett. It’s possible any of these QBs could grab the starting position, and you could bypass worrying about the QB position and focus on other positions. |
|
WR |
The Browns WR room is in need of a playmaker. Jerry Jeudy is there as a younger player with a fairly high ceiling, but apart from him, it’s a bit of a sparse place. |
|
O-Line |
Their offensive line needs help across the board. The only lineman under the age of 33 that’s at least an 80 overall is Teven Jenkins; it is in desperate need of help, or else the rest of the offense is going to suffer. |
|
D-Line |
Their defensive line is not in as tough of shape as their offensive line, but apart from Myles Garret, it’s tough to locate an intimidating presence. Mason Graham is a rookie defensive tackle that could form a good backbone for the line, but one other above-average player will take some of the pressure off of Myles. |
|
K |
Their kicker is 34 years old and has an average ceiling; you’ll want to plan for the future in this department. |
Bears
The Bears are on the brink of a roster that could begin to perform really well. They have some players that are question marks, but as far as Madden is concerned, they can be key components to going the distance.
Key Players
The Bears have some younger players that are worth building around.
- Caleb Williams is a QB that, regardless of how well he develops in the real thing, has the weapons to be a QB to build around in Madden.
- DJ Moore is a great WR who’s likely got a few years of peak performance left.
- Jaylon Johnson is one of the better CBs in the league, and he’s only 26, meaning he could be a mainstay on your roster for years to come.
Team Needs
A few key pickups could utterly transform this roster into a team vying for the top spot.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
Defensive Front Seven |
Both the D-Line and LBs on Chicago could do with some juice. It’s not that they’re bad; there are some serviceable players across the board. But there aren’t any players that are going to change a game with a couple of big plays, and that’s going to make it difficult for your defense to stop explosive offenses. |
|
RB |
D’Andre Swift is a fine back, but he doesn’t have the ratings to defy the odds and break a big play without the clouds parting in front of him. Inject another back that has that explosive potential, and between the new back and Swift, they can keep each other fresh. |
|
G |
The LG and RG in Chicago are great and good respectively, but they’re also 32 and 28, meaning the clock is ticking. Pick up a G in the draft to play under the older of the two for a year or two, and you’ll have a line that’s still on the younger side and consistent. |
Broncos
The Broncos have a pretty good roster, but many of their brightest spots are players that are 30 or older. That means that things are going to start slipping fast, and they’re going to need to re-inject some fresh blood that keeps them relevant.
Key Players
The Broncos do have some young blood that are going to grow in importance for the next few years. They’ve also got a lot of unproven youth on the roster that could blossom into real assets, or fizzle out and need replaced.
- Bo Nix is in his second year at QB, and is looking to expand on his impressive rookie season. He’s got the tools he needs to succeed, and you aren’t going to need to look for a QB for the foreseeable future.
- Quinn Meinerz is one of the best Offensive Lineman in the league, and is only 26. He’s got a pretty big contract, but he’s worth the money.
- Patrick Surtain II is a shutdown CB, and has one of the best age-to-overall-ratings ratios in the league. He’s going to anchor your CB1 position for years.
Team Needs
The nice thing about rebuilding this roster is that you’re going to be able to draft rookies that can sit behind a starter for a year or two, instead of needing to throw them to the wolves right away.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
TE |
Evan Engram is currently the starting TE for Denver, but he’s 30 and does not have the best track record when it comes to staying on the field. Picking up a young playmaker at TE is going to ensure Bo has a weapon to use for years to come. |
|
T |
Both Tackles for Denver are older, and they don’t have an upcoming starter younger than them waiting in the wings. You’ll want to invest in at least one good Tackle, maybe even two, at some point in the next couple of years. |
|
LB |
The Broncos have a bright spot in Dre Greenlaw at LB, but apart from him, they don’t have anyone too impressive. There’s a real lack of depth at this position, and grabbing one playmaker and at least one project could keep this position strong going into the future. |
Cardinals
The Cardinals have an underachieving QB in Kyler Murray, but in the world of Madden, he’s a real asset. But apart from him, there are a few notable pickups they’re going to need to make if they’re looking for a realistic playoff run.
Key Players
Arizona has some pieces that they’re not going to need to replace anytime soon.
- As mentioned before, Kyler Murray is a QB that, with the right hand guiding him, could transform into a real playmaker.
- Marvin Harrison Jr is a second-year WR who had a great first season, and is primed for another great second one.
- Trey McBride is another weapon for Murray, this time at the TE position. He’s young, and should have a lot of good years ahead of him.
Team Needs
The Cardinals do have a little bit of work to do, primarily on the defensive side of the ball.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
D-Line |
It doesn’t really matter where you pick up a weapon on the Defensive Line, but you’re going to need one. Calais Campbell might play forever, but if he doesn’t, he’s 39 and won’t be keeping it up much longer. There’s plenty of depth here, but apart from Josh Sweat, no one who’s going to change the course of a game. |
|
LB |
Arizona’s LB core is in a similar spot as their D-Line. There’s not a lot here in terms of playmakers, and you’ll need to invest here if you want a defense that’s going to be able to keep up. |
|
RB |
James Conner is currently the Cardinals’ starting RB, but he’s 30, and while Trey Benson has some promise at RB2, picking up an explosive back is going to take some of the pressure off of the passing game. |
Jaguars
The Jaguars have a strange, mixed-bag roster. There are a few potent weapons, but a couple of holes in the foundation that are going to hold them back until they’re patched.
Key Players
The Jaguars have some of the hardest-to-find roster spots future-proofed.
- Trevor Lawrence is a good QB with an expansive toolkit. He’s still young and has a high ceiling; he just needs some consistent play around him to reach that next level.
- Brian Thomas Jr is one of the best young WRs in the league, and has game-breaking speed.
- Travis Hunter is a rookie CB who bears all the signs of a CB that’s going to be a problem for every team to deal with.
Team Needs
The Jaguars’ needs are very specific, and luckily, fairly easy to patch.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
O-Line |
Without a better Offensive Line, the Jaguars are going to toil in mediocrity. It’s a bit of a universal problem to fix, but over the course of a couple of seasons (and free agencies/drafts), it shouldn’t be too tough to patch. |
|
D-Line |
Besides Josh Hines-Allen, the Jaguars Defensive Line bears much the same problem as their Offensive Line. A couple of key pickups here can make their strong LB and CB core shine even more. |
Raiders
The Raiders have certain pieces in place, but they need to shore up significant holes if they want to find any consistent success.
Key Players
The Raiders have a few great young players that are going to be in the prime of their career once the pieces around them start to improve.
- Brock Bowers is a fantastic young TE with nearly an entire career ahead of him.
- Ashton Jeanty is a solid young RB that can hold down the position for a few years, though a second strong RB would help extend his career.
- Kolton Miller is an above-average LT who hasn’t quite hit 30. He should have at least another few years of good play before you need to worry about replacing him.
Team Needs
With a couple smart drafts, the Raiders should be able to fill these spots.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
QB |
Geno Smith is currently starting at QB, and while Geno is certainly capable of high-level play and has been criminally underrated, particularly in recent years, he’s also 34 years old. You’ll need to draft a young QB who can enter the spotlight sooner or later. |
|
D-Line |
Besides one standout that’s starting to age, Las Vegas’ Defensive Line needs some help. You won’t need to be picky about which position you want to pick up; any good Defensive Lineman will help. |
|
LB |
The same problem extends to their LBs. There are some solid players who can perform serviceably, but no one’s going to drop jaws. Grabbing one or two young LBs is going to be very helpful. |
Saints
The Saints have some bright spots on their roster, but all in all, they might be the team in the biggest need of a roster overhaul of any in the league.
Key Players
Many of the household names on the Saints are entering the twilight of their career, but there are some important pieces in place for the future.
- Chris Olave is only 25 and is a playmaker at WR. With some help on offense, he’s going to have a lot more opportunities.
- Erik McCoy is still in the prime of his career at Center, and should be able to anchor your Offensive Line for a few more seasons, at least.
- Justin Reid is a very solid FS and has another few seasons where he should be at peak performance.
Team Needs
There are some spots on the Saints roster that are unknown values, and you’ll likely want to take a season to see exactly what you have before committing draft picks.
|
Need |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
QB? |
It’s unclear whether or not the Saints need to pick up a QB in the next draft. They have an abundance of youth at the position with no one over the age of 26, but none of them are a proven value, yet. You’ll really need to focus some time figuring out if any of them are capable of developing into franchise QBs before you commit to picking up a new one. |
|
RB |
Alvin Kamara has been great at the position for a long time, but he’s now 30 years old. They have some other solid players at the position, but no one who’s going to become a breakout talent. |
|
TE |
New Orleans doesn’t really have a great player at TE; they have a few who can perform the role admirably, but they’ll need to grab some fresh blood sometime soon. |
|
DT |
Both of New Orleans’ starting DTs are 30 or older, and while they do have solid depth at the position, they don’t have anyone capable of anchoring the line in an impressive way anytime soon. |
|
LB |
Presumably, there will be a day that the 36-year-old Demario Davis loses a step and is forced to retire. If and when that ever happens, you’ll need to have someone ready to fill the position, and currently, there’s no one there and ready. |
|
CB |
There’s a lot of youth spread across the Saints CB room, but aside from the promising young Kool-Aid McKinstry, no one there is looking like they’re going to develop into a force. One or two more solid CBs are going to be necessary for a strong secondary. |
