Last year, the Patriots kept just two signal-callers on the initial roster, Tom Brady (pictured) and Matt Cassel, before Vinny Testaverde joined the mix as a free agent in November. Brady enters his eighth season and has been an ironman, his 108 consecutive starts (including playoffs) ranking third among active quarterbacks, behind Green Bay's Brett Favre (257) and Indianapolis's Peyton Manning (156). The 30-year-old Brady has reached the point in his career where he is managing his arm more and making fewer throws in practice. Based on preseason action, the 25-year-old Cassel appears to have taken another positive step as the top backup, while the unknown Matt Gutierrez is a promising prospect for the future.

Rating: Improved