There was no mini bombshell’s to start the week on Monday, but Bill Belichick did touch on a few interesting topics prior to the fifth practice.

Coach Belichick spoke prior tot taking questions and noted that the end of the week should start to look like real football finally with the first preseason game against Washington set for August 12.

“Heading into kind of the next phase here as practices change a little bit, both in length and intensity and so forth, so it’s a good opportunity for us this week to really work on our fundamentals and get used to playing in more real football-type conditions, so looking forward to that,” he said. “A lot of work to do here. We just continue to build every day add a little something new. We need to add. Be ready to go here by hopefully the end of the week and then that’ll give us a few days next week to start to prepare for Washington. That’s really our schedule here. I feel like players are in good condition. Got off to a decent start last week. We’ll just try to keep stacking days together and build it from there.”

While the defense has looked good without pads on so far, the one major piece still missing has been Stephon Gilmore.

“Yeah let’s keep taking it day by day,” answered Belichick when asked if he thought the elite corner could be close to a return. “It’s really pretty much the same situation with a lot of those players. Just see how each day goes, and if it improves, then we move ahead, and if it doesn’t, then we might have to pause until we can kind of get things ready to move forward. Every day is kind of its own day and we’ll just go day by day.

Earlier in the week, N’Keal Harry met with the media for the first time since his trade request. Coach Belichick was asked about the receiver who has stood out a bit in a good way so far during the early stages of training camp.

“I think N’Keal, like really all the other players that are out there, are working hard,” said Belichick. “They’re improving. We’re better than we were on Wednesday, which is a good thing. We just need to keep the arrow pointing up and stay on the field and continue to progress from a scheme standpoint as we do more things and from a fundamental and technique standpoint for each individual player at his position. That’s really the time of year we’re at now, so N’Keal’s in good condition. He’s working hard. Again, keep taking it day by day, and as the competition unfolds, see how things stack up everywhere, not just with him, but all the way across the board. It’s really the same for everybody.

As you’d expect, when pushed to respond to Harry’s trade request, Belichick quickly deflected.

“N’Keal and I have talked about it. I think we had a good conversation. We have a good relationship, so not going to get into all that,” he said.

One of the most glaring things you notice if you’ve been at training camp over the past week is the relationship building that goes on at all times. Guys constantly joking, working in position groups, coaching each other up or interacting with the fans. Obviously, that wasn’t possible last year and team building was a lost art. Coach Belichick talked about just how important it is and what he’s seen in that regard compared to last year at this time.

“Well there’s no comparison from last year to this year,” Belichick said. “This year we had a lot of opportunities in the spring to do that, and so last year this was kind of the first time some of us even met the players or the players met each other or anything. We’re a lot different than that, but relative to other years prior to ’20. Just part of the process. The more time we spend around each other and do things on and off the field formally and informally. I’m sure that’ll all happen. It’s not something that is one day or one thing, but it’s an accumulative effect so, I think that’s happening. It is happening.”