Murray and McCarthy each totaled seven reps during the initial 7-on-7 period, including four in a row, apiece, their first time they conducted the offense — and, technically, the ball never touched the grass.
In his opening sequence, McCarthy found Dontae Fleming for a short gain, then progressed to Myles Price over the middle for a good-sized pickup. To nail his third straight pass, McCarthy located running back Zavier Scott on a checkdown, and he followed that by twirling a beauty to Tai Felton, who smoothly scooted past rookie cornerback Chuck Demmings and hauled in a picturesque over-the-shoulder catch.
When he came back up, McCarthy drilled RB Jordan Mason in the flat to his right before muscling an intermediate-level pass to undrafted rookie Dillon Bell, who made a nice adjustment for a reception. To put a bowtie on his reps, McCarthy connected with Jeshaun Jones on a snappy throw over the middle.
At the onset of the period, Murray began with quick completions to tight end Josh Oliver and Felton. Then, he tried fitting a ball to second-year TE Gavin Bartholomew, but Theo Jackson had a prescient jump on it and flew into the frame for an interception. Right after, Murray overshot Jauan Jennings up the field, and the quarterback’s former Cardinals draft classmate, Byron Murphy, Jr., stepped in to secure an easy pick. In a demonstration of the defense having fun afterward, Murphy lateraled the rock to Jackson.
When Murray resumed his place in the shotgun, again, he almost went deep to Felton but instead used caution and hit Jordan Addison on a checkdown. Murray linked with Jennings next when the former 49er baited a defender one way in the middle of the field and ended up accelerating the other direction. On his final rep, Murray successfully targeted his safety valve, rookie fullback Max Bredeson, short and near the sideline. Bredeson pocketed the pigskin and flew into the open field, giving shades of Jim Kleinsasser.
