The best day of training camp is the fifth practice. Why is that so important?

The pads come on for the first time

Saturday afternoon’s practice was as the last before the Vikings came out in full pads, as they were in shells (shoulder pads and shorts). Once the pads come on, that’s when real football gets played. You get to see the trenches fight for the first time, and it will impact all facets of the game.

What stood out on the fifth day of practice? Let’s break it down.

J.J. McCarthy continues inconsistencies

J.J. McCarthy kicked off practice with the twos against the first team defense. He then worked with the first team offense against the twos. McCarthy started off pretty sharp, hitting Jeshaun Jones on a slow developing out breaking route then threw it to Justin Iefferson on a deep out. Both were completed, but he was late and slightly inaccurate on both, which was a theme last season.

His first reps of 7-on-7 and the second team period had some good throws, but there was one major aspect that showcases where he needs the most growth: processing.

His speed of processing wasn’t great, and we aren’t seeing a ton of growth there. That could be the deciding factor in the competition.

At the end of practice, McCarthy had about as bad of a two-minute drill as you could have asked for: two pass breakups, an incompletion, and an interception.

Kyler Murray continues to shine with layered throws

Kyler Murray’s first snaps in team drills were with the twos against the ones, and he showed off his athleticism right away. He ran a naked bootleg to the right and found Ben Yurosek on a flat route for a big gain. Then, he followed it up with a beautiful corner route to Gavin Bartholomew where he layered it over the second level for 20 yards.

Once he got in with the first team, Murray evaded pressure and layered the ball over the second level to Jefferson on an over route. Murray continuing to layers the ball over defenders is going to be huge for head coach Kevin O’Connell.

The start of 7-on-7 drills showed Murray’s ability to process quickly and efficiently. It was impressive to watch him navigate those aspects. Murray also wasn’t impactful in the two-minute drill, which was a sour note for the offense to end the day.

Overall, both quarterbacks had positives and negatives, but the edge on the day goes to Murray, who was processing at a significantly higher level and showing a high ability to layer throws.

Dallas Turner looks legit

After not loving the pick in real time with a preference for Chop Robinson, I’ve come around massively on the selection. He showed a lot of growth over the last year, including 8.5 sacks last season.

Turner was making plays in the backfield, including a stuff in the backfield on a toss play. During team drills, he was being chipped, making him a big focus in pass protection. His movement skills are evident in person, and they made an impact right away.

Other notes

• Tai Felton continues to show receiving chops. He caught a Murray pass in the corner of the end zone like he was re-enacting the Air Jordan logo. It’s too early to make any declarative statements, but I’m curious if this could be a K.J. Osborn surge.
• Cornerback Charles Demmings got a few more snaps with the ones on Monday. He was lining up in the slot at times, and ran up the seam with Jauan Jennings. In the second team period, he locked up Jefferson on a corner route. Yes, there was safety help in a cover-2 situation, but impressive nonetheless.
• The offensive line looked really solid throughout the day. Not a lot of quick pressure on the quarterbacks, and they were run blocking with aggressiveness.