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FOXBORO - Bill Belichick didn't throw the Patriots' hat into the race for Michael Vick on Thursday, but he didn't exactly throw it in the opposite direction, either.

The Patriots' coach was as noncommittal as he could be when asked the obligatory question about whether he would consider signing the former Atlanta Falcons' quarterback, who recently completed 23 months of incarceration and home confinement for his role in bankrolling an illegal dogfighting operation in Virginia

"You know, Michael is an outstanding player," Belichick said. "He hasn't played in a couple years, but right now our focus is on our team and our players, trying to get the New England Patriots ready. That's really where my attention has been, but he's a tremendous athlete.

"Where he exactly is right now, I don't know," he said.

Vick was in Newport News, Va., for a hearing in his ongoing bankruptcy case, where he raised the eyebrows of football writers all over the nation by telling reporters outside the courthouse he was close to signing with a pro team. Asked about his progress in signing with a team, Vick was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, "We're getting close." He did not answer further questions.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick on Monday. Vick is free to sign with any team, immediately participate in preseason practices in games, and could be playing in the regular season by the sixth week according to the terms of the reinstatement.

National pundits have often suggested the Patriots as a possible landing spot for Vick because of Belichick's success at turning former problem children such as Randy Moss and Corey Dillon into productive team players. Many suggest that Vick would be more suited to be a "wildcat" change-of-pace quarterback instead of the backup to Tom Brady because of their disparate styles of play.

Practice absences

Wide receivers Randy Moss and Joey Galloway caused a brief stir by sitting out the morning practice, but both were present in the day's second session. Defensive tackle Jarvis Green also sat out the first session, otherwise the Patriots had a solid turnout for the first day of their 50th training camp.

Some players aren't ready, however; the team placed linebacker Shawn Crable, offensive linemen Mark LeVoir and Rich Ohrnberger and defensive linemen Darryl Richard and Ty Warren on the Active/PUP list. They are eligible to return at any time during training camp.

Cornerback Shawn Springs and wide receiver Brandon Tate were placed on the active/non-football-injury list, which also allows for activation at any time during camp. Springs has already been projected to be one of the starters in the Patriots' revamped secondary.

Quick kicks

The Patriots' practice jerseys have a new feature - patches emblazoned with the corporate logo of Gillette, part of the NFL's new policy to allow limited advertising on practice shirts. The patches are located under the left shoulder Kevin Faulk may have uttered his funniest comment in 10 years as a Patriot when he was asked if Tom Brady seemed like a changed man in the wake of his wedding to supermodel Gisele Bündchen. "Same Tom Brady I know," Faulk said. "I got married a few years ago too, but nobody talked about that."