LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back against the New Orleans Saints’ starting defense and again went looking for No. 17. With how this practice was going, he just knew Davante Adams would find a way to get open.

And Adams did, cutting sharp on a deep post route to a spot around the left hashmarks where he settled in and waited for a laser, like he’s come to expect in this growing relationship with the reigning MVP. Stafford split two defenders with the throw — a cornerback giving chase, a deep safety crashing down — and Adams leaped off his feet and snared the ball before landing and sprinting into the end zone.

Stafford and Adams excelled against the Saints defense in a joint practice on Thursday at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills, Calif. They connected for two touchdowns, including a trademark Stafford fade ball that Adams ran comfortably underneath along the right sideline for an easy score. They connected on crossers into the flats and slants across the middle.

With Puka Nacua not practicing due to a psoas injury he continues to manage, no one was left wondering who the go-to receiver on the Rams would be. Adams and Stafford have shown off a smooth and adjustable connection all training camp, and though Adams has had a few drops in earlier practices, the precision has shown two vital pieces to the Rams’ offensive attack this season: Stafford and Adams still have it, even at the ages of 38 and 33, respectively.

And now, they have chemistry outside of the red zone.

“No matter how great you are, you’ve got two great players. You’ve got to be able to get those reps, and repetition is the mother of learning,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “They’ve got a great feel. I think today was a really good day for those guys being able to connect against tight, sticky coverage. It’s been awesome, but they’re two outstanding people, outstanding players, and it’s really fun to watch them take some ownership and even just be a fly on the wall and listen to their dialogue and what they’re thinking. I love what I’ve seen from those guys.”

A year ago, none of this was possible. Adams was the new piece after signing a free-agent deal to replace Cooper Kupp, and Stafford wasn’t practicing at all with a back issue that was threatening the start of his 17th season. Their reps in training camp were nearly nonexistent, and the two didn’t play in the preseason, leaving real games with results on the line as the time to build the timing, feel and connection that live reps are designed to create.

That led to a naturally clunky start to Adams’ 12th season. Through his first six games, he was averaging just 4.3 receptions per game on a career-worst 47.3 percent catch rate. Nacua was prolific enough to make up for it, but the two knew they needed to build something more to help the offense reach its full potential.

They drilled down in a week in Baltimore with Nacua hurt and rolled out a new role for Adams against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, where he played as the single wide receiver with three tight ends on the field and scored three touchdowns. Then he scored eight more times to finish with a league-best 14 receiving touchdowns as the Rams led the NFL in scoring and Stafford was named league MVP.

But Adams’ season felt a bit inconsistent and less whole than normal, as he finished with 60 catches for 789 yards, his lowest totals in any season since 2015. With Adams turning 34 in December and in a contract year, the Rams explored the idea this offseason of trading him for a younger receiver in A.J. Brown. But they decided against it once McVay dove into Adams’ film and saw more to tap into, hoping his connection with Stafford would continue to grow with training camp reps.

It might require Adams to say healthier than he did last year, when he missed three games and battled lower-body injuries all season long. That’s the challenge for a 33-year-old in a speed-based role in a collision sport. But Thursday’s practice was a glimpse of what still remains in the tank.

Terrance Ferguson, CJ Daniels get their run

With Nacua out, the door opened for younger receivers to see targets and to make their cases to be reliable weapons in an offense that needs one to emerge beyond Nacua and Adams.

The busiest of them was Ferguson. He scored two touchdowns in the red zone, including one where he caught the ball in the flats on the left side and outran the defense.

He executed mostly short routes, a departure from the late-season breakout he enjoyed as a rookie to finish with an average of 21 yards per catch on 11 receptions. The Rams are expanding Ferguson’s route tree now that he’s more comfortable in a playbook that’s committing to the three-tight end approach the Rams largely devised at midseason last year, and he’s spent this offseason trimming body fat to increase that wiggle out of breaks.

By getting the ball to Ferguson more quickly, the Rams can exploit a mismatch with his 6-foot-5, 252-pound frame against linebackers rather than safeties, hoping those safeties are busy enough watching for Stafford’s deep connections with Adams and Nacua on opposite perimeters.

“Coming in (last year), I never expected to play the positions I’m playing,” Ferguson said. “Being able to play F, Z, Y and X, all of them together, it’s definitely been a big jump. … They ask me to do a lot of things down the field but then also be reliable on the line of scrimmage. It’s about finding that happy medium.”

Daniels also saw some chances with the first team as he rotated reps with Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington. He didn’t have as active a day catching the ball, but it was a step up from the second-team usage he’s primarily seen this camp.

Stetson Bennett, Ty Simpson trade QB2 reps

As the Rams continue to try to solidify the backup quarterback role that Jimmy Garoppolo no longer holds, they have once more leaned into giving even chances to Simpson and Bennett. They ran 25 plays with the second team, with Bennett taking 13 snaps and Simpson 12. It continues a recent shift from earlier in camp, when Bennett worked almost exclusively as the next quarterback up after Stafford.

Both had mixed days. Bennett struggled again with his deep ball but kept it out of harm’s way. Simpson threw two interceptions, including one where he didn’t see a safety playing center field and the ball fluttered out of his hands. Simpson and Bennett both threw touchdowns in the red zone period.

Bennett enjoyed a strong start to camp, with high completion rates and strong plays out of structure but also with the occasional turnover. He hasn’t looked as comfortable over the past week, which could be related in part to the lack of a flow he gets into when splitting reps with Simpson, who has come a long way in his command of a complex playbook.

One of the challenges both quarterbacks face is the protection they’re trying to play behind with the second unit. The Rams are down two of their backup offensive linemen, as top backup guard Justin Dedich worked out off to the side again with the hand injury he’s had since early July and third-round rookie tackle Keagen Trost out with the hamstring he hurt in Saturday’s preseason opener.

McVay said the hope is to get Trost back for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. If he can’t, David Quessenberry will serve as the swing tackle. He’s been working primarily as the backup left tackle to Alaric Jackson, who could face a second suspension under the league’s personal conduct policy. Quessenberry last started a game in 2023 and will turn 36 on Monday.

The Rams have begun rotating offensive linemen with the first team in order to get more advanced looks at the second team. But McVay continues to express confidence in the plan and operation.

“I really felt good with the depth we had at tackle,” McVay said. “Obviously, you get a little bit thinned out when you felt good about those four guys, if you include Keagen into it. But we’ve got some other guys that we’re going to continue to evaluate. … We’ll just take it a day at a time.”

EAGAN, Minn. — At one point, flames felt possible.

It was Thursday afternoon at the TCO Performance Center, and here came Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Dallas Turner once again. The 2024 first-round pick blasted around the edge with so much speed that he looked powered by octane.

For the second straight day in joint practices against the Baltimore Ravens, Turner turnstiled Pro Bowl tackle Ronnie Stanley. His lengthy arms caused problems. His relentlessness made second efforts effective. His output generated so much noise on one of the practice fields that, every now and then, coaches and players peered over to see what caused the commotion.

Turner’s teammates gushed about him. Second-year defensive lineman Elijah Williams described Turner as an intimidating presence on the field. Another second-year defensive lineman, Ty Ingram-Dawkins, speculated about an award-worthy type of season.

“Man,” veteran Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. said. “To see how big of a jump it’s been … and how fast he’s playing … It’s going to be a special year.”

The Vikings need that to be the case. They traded talented edge rusher Jonathan Greenard in April to the Philadelphia Eagles. His departure left the cupboard otherwise bare at the position. And even though defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ system deploys blitzes to make pockets chaotic, certain defensive situations require edge rushers to win.

Turner provided glimpses of his potential in the final eight weeks of 2025. With Greenard out with an injured shoulder, the Vikings asked Turner to play the more traditional edge-rushing role in Flores’ defense. It unlocked more production than at any point in Turner’s young career. He recorded 6.5 sacks over those final eight games (he totaled eight on the season) and held up versus the run on the edge.

Trading Greenard signaled an internal belief that Turner’s trajectory would continue to point upward.

Hope, though, doesn’t come with any guarantees. That’s why these two days from Turner warrant attention. Satisfaction from one sack didn’t prevent him from tornadoing his way to the quarterback for another. His standard seems to be rising with his responsibility.

“I just think he’s not complacent at all,” Ingram-Dawkins said. “He always wants to grow. That’s going to show this year on the field.”

Turner’s showing was perhaps the most important storyline of these joint practices, at least among those unrelated to the quarterbacks. Here are some other nuggets that stood out:

Undrafted rookie Jacob Thomas establishing early trust

Safety may be the most interesting position group on the Vikings. For one thing, Flores asks his safeties to initiate the communication on defense. The uncertainty surrounding Harrison Smith’s future adds to the intrigue.

Losing Jamal Adams to a torn quad affected the team’s depth. Third-round pick Jakobe Thomas hasn’t practiced fully in recent weeks due to back stiffness. On Thursday, safety Theo Jackson left practice early with a leg injury. Fortunately, Jacob Thomas, an undrafted rookie from James Madison, has emerged as a viable option.

The former high school quarterback impressed the Vikings staff this spring with his smarts. Flores’ defense is notoriously complex, especially for safeties. But Thomas absorbed most of it with ease.

“His IQ is just different,” Murphy said. “He’s just one of those guys who is very smart. You can tell.”

Fellow safety Jay Ward singled out this trait: “He can get us into the next call. He plays fast and furious. You can count on him.”

Thomas nearly intercepted Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in an early red zone sequence Thursday. Just as impressively, when Jackson left the field, the Vikings tossed Thomas into the mix with the starters and maintained their defensive dominance.

Asking him to play significant snaps from the beginning of the season feels lofty. But the idea that the Vikings may have found another future contributor in undrafted free agency speaks to their sharp identification process.

Best of the rest

• Minnesota’s passing game had more success Thursday. Quarterback Kyler Murray connected with Jauan Jennings on a deep ball down the right sideline in an 11-on-11 period. He also threaded a pass in rhythm to superstar receiver Justin Jefferson over the middle.

Some of the Ravens’ disguised coverages bothered the Vikings’ timing. The physicality of Baltimore cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins also kept Minnesota from more consistent hits downfield.

Still, the day-to-day growth matters. The arc is eerily similar to former starter Sam Darnold’s progression during training camp in 2024.

• After a disappointing day on the ground Wednesday, multiple Vikings offensive linemen felt better about the way they adjusted and adapted on Thursday. Running back Jordan Mason squeezed through pockets with ease. Rookie running back Demond Claiborne blurred around the right side for a touchdown.

• As much as Turner is deserving of praise, Murphy singled out Ingram-Dawkins as another Vikings defender who has made a leap. Ingram-Dawkins returned this spring in exceptional shape. His ability to line up on the interior and the edge offers the type of versatility Flores covets. He figures to play a meaningful role while rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange find their footing.

• Every fall, Vikings legends visit the TCO Performance Center for practices. But rarely does Randy Moss make an appearance.

His presence Wednesday and Thursday mattered under normal circumstances, but Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell revealed Thursday that Moss had also spent time in the receivers’ meeting room. Moss sat next to second-year wideout Myles Price. He offered tidbits to Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

The Vikings always value Moss’ presence, but this level of participation indicates a deepening of the relationship between the franchise and one of its pillars.

BMW Championship – round one leaderboard

-6 R McIlroy (NI), W Clark (US), C Gotterup (US), J.J. Spain (US), G Woodland (US); -5 R Hisatsune (Jpn)

Selected others: -4 A Fitzpatrick (Eng), L Aberg (Swe), M Thorbjornsen (US); -3 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -2 R MacIntyre (Sco), A Rai (Eng); -1 T Fleetwood (Eng), J Rose (Eng)

Full leaderboard

Rory McIlroy said a bit of “good work” with his team helped him rediscover his form and take a clubhouse lead in the first round of the BMW Championship.

The world number two, who finished 66th at the St Jude Championship last weekend, finished six under par at Bellerive Country Club.

Having reached the turn at two under, McIlroy birdied the 13th and then three of the last four holes, sharing his lead with the American quartet of Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, JJ Spaun and Chris Gotterup.

McIlroy stated that working with his swing coach Michael Bannon and caddie Harry Diamond helped him restore his touch after last week’s tournament in Memphis.

“I felt at least like I got myself back going in the right direction, and what I wanted to do with my swing, but still you never know when you turn up here,” McIlroy told the Golf Channel.

“This golf course sets up a lot better for me than Memphis did last week. You can miss it a little bit off the tee, and the playing corridors are a lot wider, so you can get away with it, which I needed to get away with it a couple of times today.

“But this set-up suits my game a little bit better, and I definitely feel a little bit more comfortable on this golf course than I did last week.”

Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune came in at five under, while Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick, American Michael Thorbjornsen and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg were in a group tied for seventh on four under.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre closed on two under, having withdrawn from the St Jude Championship before the second round following an opening 12-over 82.

World number one and defending champion Scheffler, who had also triumphed in Memphis on Sunday, suffered a run of four bogeys through the opening seven holes, finding himself far down the field.