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With the pre-season getting close enough to touch it is time to start looking at teams that have made good changes over the off-season, which should lead to improvements, and perhaps some betting opportunities.

The big news for Kansas at the moment has to be the signing of Matt Cassel. Though he has not been named as starting quarterback I think there is little doubt that the team will be built around him this season. Kansas City Chiefs have shown their confidence in him by giving him a six year deal worth a reported $60million.

Cassel was thrust into the spotlight in the first game of last season, after New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had to leave the field (and the rest of the season) with a knee injury. Cassel may not have lived up to the expectations of some fans; he did do a good job. While the injury was bad news for Brady it gave Cassel the chance to prove that he is comfortable in the starting position.

Reportedly always keen to learn and improve, I can see Cassel becoming a fantastic player over the next few years. With Brady coming back and no room for Cassel in New England I feel the Chiefs have got a great deal here. It might not pay off right away, he will need to get used to playing in a weaker team, but if the team can get settled quickly then the Chiefs could see a much better season end than that of last season.

The other big change comes with new Head Coach Todd Haley. Haley operates with a no nonsense approach which should work well when looking to make a new start for a franchise (think Miami Dolphins with Tony Sparano last year).

Haley learned the ropes under Bill Parcels at the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys and seems to follow a similar style. If he proves to have similar skill the Chiefs should have a bright future.

The Chiefs meet the Houston Texans on August 15th for the first of their pre-season games. You can catch the betting preview here on the Betfair Blog, and bet or trade in a wide range of Betfair markets.