J.J. McCarthy, Drake Maye take the field alongside each other at Vikings-Patriots joint practice

The first day of Vikings joint practices with the Patriots on Wednesday was up-and-down for Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy in what was his first extended action against a different first-team defense.

Before practice, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he sees the two days of working out against the Patriots as another checkpoint, the same language he used when talking about McCarthy’s single-drive appearance against the Texans on Saturday.

“As I told our whole team, it is still practice, but at the same time, we’re playing against an opponent, and we want to see the ability to handle it all,” O’Connell said. “They make a play, can we move on to the next down and just get back to doing the simple things really consistently, doing your job that you can control every single snap?”

Practice started awkwardly in one-on-ones with a string of incompletions that were also flagged, but McCarthy followed that period with a stronger seven-on-seven showing that started with six straight completions until a contested ball targeting Jordan Addison went incomplete. McCarthy was picked off on a high throw targeting Jalen Nailor on the next snap.

Full 11-on-11 periods went better, though McCarthy still held on to the ball too long at times, allowing pressure to reach him.

One of McCarthy’s stronger periods of the day was the two-minute drill. O’Connell and others have praised McCarthy for his composure and leadership throughout camp.

McCarthy started by finding tight end T.J. Hockenson on a 9-yard pass in the middle of the field. Aaron Jones quickly converted with a 6-yard pickup off a short pass from McCarthy on the next snap.

McCarthy saved the drive with a 10-yard scramble and then converted the fourth-and-5 with a pass to Addison. He spiked the ball with three seconds left, allowing Will Reichard to tie the fictional game scenario 24-24 with a 48-yard kick.

“If you ask [McCarthy], he probably isn’t super happy with some of the things that happened, but in my head, he played well,” Hockenson said. “Put the ball where he needed to. Played fast. We were able to move the ball pretty much the whole practice.”

On the other field, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, drafted seven spots ahead of McCarthy at No. 3 overall, consistently flashed the touch, accuracy and physical gifts that made him the third of six first-round quarterbacks selected in 2024. Maye started 13 games for the Patriots last season, passing for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. struck first Wednesday, intercepting one of Maye’s first throws of the one-on-one period between receivers and defensive backs. Maye then found former Viking Stefon Diggs for a deep connection over Murphy down the sideline.

Maye, benefitting from the red jersey that doesn’t allow him to get hit, made multiple throws while running from a feisty Vikings pass rush.

“I thought I protected the ball, didn’t really put it in harm’s way,” Maye said. “It’s good for our offense to see new defenders, guys that are going to be grabbing and holding.”

”They got us a few times," Maye added. “I feel like we got them.”

Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, the 30-year-old Pro Bowler, said “this is our time” to prepare for the regular season since he’s one of many veterans not expected to play in the preseason.

“I think the defense played pretty good,” Allen said. “We gave a couple plays here and there we wish we could have back.”

Helping Maye were two key Patriots figures — offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and new center Garrett Bradbury — who are familiar with what Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to do.