THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Kevin O'Connell is still the backup quarterback for the New England Patriots.

This time it's intentional.

O'Connell moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 last year when Tom Brady was injured in the season opener and Matt Cassel was promoted to starter. Cassel was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason, and now O'Connell will be the one who steps in if Brady is hurt.

"Last year was an unfortunate situation, but I was able to get a lot of repetitions that I wouldn't have gotten as a third quarterback," O'Connell said Wednesday after the team wrapped up a voluntary, three-day minicamp.

"No matter how far back I am on the depth chart, I just have to be ready. Matt was a good example of that."

Cassel stepped in when Brady was hurt in the first half of the first game and led New England to an 11-5 record. The Patriots missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker.

O'Connell played in two games last season while backing up Cassel, completing four of six passes for 23 yards.

When Cassel was traded to the Chiefs along with linebacker Mike Vrabel for a second-round pick, it was a sign to Patriots fans that Brady was expected to be fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out for virtually the entire season.

And when the Patriots decided not to bring in an experienced backup, it was a sign that they trusted O'Connell to do the job.

O'Connell said he hopes he can learn from Brady, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and the 2007 NFL MVP, the way Cassel did.

Brady was spotted with new wife, Gisele Bundchen, at a charity gala on Tuesday night, but he was not at practice on Wednesday. A Patriots spokesman declined to comment on whether the quarterback had been at the stadium to work out.

Most of the 50 or so players on the field were rookies and free agents who needed the time to get used to the Patriots playbook.

"I'm learning the system, so I can compete without hesitation," said free agent running back Fred Taylor, who spent his first 11 years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I don't want to feel like a rookie out there."