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Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy and Patriots QB Drake Maye will be the center of attention in crucial joint practices for both teams
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy and Patriots QB Drake Maye will be the center of attention in crucial joint practices for both teams

Originally posted on A to Z Sports  |  By Tyler Forness  |  Last updated Aug 13, 2025 10:11 AM ET

The Minnesota Vikings are set to host the New England Patriots for joint practices this week. It's going to be an interesting couple of days, as joint practices are often more informative than the preseason game that follows.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has a pre-existing relationship with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, as they were on the same team in 2008 when O'Connell was selected by New England in the NFL Draft. When both teams end up taking the field on Wednesday, what should we be looking for?

Vikings and Patriots joint practice preview

J.J. McCarthy vs. another defense

McCarthy going against Brian Flores' defense is a good thing for his development over the course of training camp. In fact, Flores' defense has been a massive problem for the offense. As we move forward, this will be a really nice test for him.

How will he do against the Patriots defense? It's still off of the Belichick tree, but seeing a different version of the same defense is a good thing, as different coordinators will have their own nuances to how they call it. Seeing McCarthy against the Patriots defense will be really fun to watch.

Vikings offensive line vs. Patriots defensive line

The biggest focus this offseason for the Vikings was fixing the offensive line. It was the fatal flaw of the 2024 squad that won 14 games, but got throttled in the final two games of the season. In fact, they lost to just two teams all season, but they were excellent against a rough group that had players missing due to injury.

Going into joint practices, the offensive line has seen their fair share of struggles with the Vikings' defensive line and edge rushers. It's worth noting that Will Fries and Christian Darrisaw have been rotating in and out throughout training camp. With Christian Barmore and Milton Williams on the other side, it could be a really fun battle.

Drake Maye

The 2024 quarterback class was a fascinating one, and everyone involved with the Vikings either being in building, covering the team, or the fanbase, took a lot of time to try and identify the future quarterback for the Vikings. Maye was a popular option for the Vikings, including the team trying to move to third overall with the Patriots. We know they didn't bite on the trade, and now Maye is coming to TCO Performance Center.

How will he look in comparison to McCarthy? Can he figure out Flores' defense? The future of the National Football League is going to be on full display with the two young quarterbacks, and it should be a really good week of practice.

Returning players to TCO Performance Center

There are quite a few players who are coming back to TCO Performance Center after being a member of the Vikings.

  • WR Stefon Diggs
  • C Garrett Bradbury
  • QB Josh Dobbs
  • OG Tyrese Robinson
  • OT Vederian Lowe
  • NT Khyris Tonga
  • K Parker Romo

Seeing them come back to Minnesota will be interesting on multiple levels. This is the second-consecutive year that Diggs, Tonga, and Dobbs are returning, while Lowe, Bradbury, Lowe, and Robinson are coming back for the firsttime. This could bring some interesting battles and maybe a fight or two.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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