Forget Being Kicked to the Curb, 1 Vikings Defender Keeps Rolling Through Bounce Back Season

Include me among those who believed that the Minnesota Vikings would be moving on from linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. at some point in the 2026 offseason. After all, the Vikings defender had been trending poorly after his 2023 explosion as a UDFA add who should have never slipped out of the draft.

Some doubt about him getting retained entered my mind back in March. He was then kept as an RFA. Look for a trade, I (wrongly) insisted. Maybe he would be behind Jake Golday (again, a wrong prediction).

So far, Mr. Pace has been a formidable option as the LB3. Due to missing the team flight down to Tampa Bay while dealing with a family issue, Pace was questionable going into Sunday. The tackle-first, ask-questions-later linebacker found his way down to Florida in time for game action. He had yet another impressive day at the office.

Vikings Defender Ivan Pace Keeps Shining

Pace sees some promising statistics attached to his name for 2026.

The Vikings defender is sitting atop 9 tackles. So, too, does he boast 0.5 sacks, 2 quarterback hits, and 1 tackle for loss. He hasn’t yet earned a start, instead getting into the mix for 40 snaps for Brian Flores alongside 76 snaps on special teams. Has DC Brian Flores found an ideal way to use the depth ‘backer? Pace’s snaps have been really strong in 2026.

Note that not every statistic is made equal. Ask the Kirk Cousins haters about the difference between a garbage-time touchdown versus a touchdown to take the lead very late. The same idea can get applied to a tackle by a defender.

Consider, for instance, Pace gobbling up D’Andre Swift in a goal line tackle in Week 2. That play directly impacted Jalen Redmond being able to punch out the football, In turn, Isaiah Rodgers could then recover the fumble, keeping points off the board in what would be a 9-3 Vikings win.

There’s then a terrific blitz from Pace that led to a sack on Baker Mayfield. If you had to explain Pace’s approach to football in an elevator pitch, pulling out this play and showing the video on your phone would be the way to do it.

Check it out:

Go back to the clip of Pace blitzing. Who is tasked with picking up the blitzing linebacker? Tampa Bay’s #88 jersey belongs to the tight end Cade Otten, who is listed as being 6’5″ and 247 pounds. Pace, for curious minds, is listed as being 5’10” and 236 pounds. Demolishing Otton on the way to the quarterback isn’t easy but Pace didn’t have too much trouble.

Expecting Ivan Pace Jr. to become the second coming of Eric Kendricks simply isn’t going to happen. He’s very unlikely to become an all-around ‘backer who can carry Davante Adams down the seam.

What he can be, though, is an attacking defender who does excellent work on specials. As the LB3, that’s super valuable. Put him out there to blitz a ton and to chase down runners. On kickoff and punt coverage, Pace can fly down the field in pursuit of the returner.

The 2026 season sees the 25-year-old Pace Jr. demanding $3,520,000 on the Vikings cap (OTC). He’s proving to be a bargain as somebody who is making timely, impactful plays over and over again.

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