How are Vikings testing J.J. McCarthy in his return to the field?

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EAGAN, Minn. -- The speed of OTA practices in the NFL varies from day to day, and sometimes even from drill to drill. During a brief moment this week, however, the Minnesota Vikings' intensity was unmistakably high.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was trying to fit the ball into a tight window to receiver Justin Jefferson, a superstar who hasn't often attended voluntary offseason work in previous seasons. The Vikings' defense was playing aggressive coverage, so much so that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. jumped and rose above Jefferson's hands to tip the ball to linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. for an interception.

The sequence provided a neat snapshot of the environment the Vikings have…