There’s an Ivan Pace Injury Update
The Minnesota Vikings are 12-2 after beating the Chicago Bears for a second time in the 2024 campaign. They have yet to play the second halves of the series against the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, and those two contests will decide the team’s playoff seeding. Injured linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. might be back in the lineup in those divisional bouts.
There’s an Ivan Pace Injury Update
Pace has been a staple of Brian Flores’ defense since arriving as an undrafted free agent in the 2023 offseason. In the first game against the Bears, Pace suffered a hamstring injury and was subsequently placed on IR, knocking him out for four games due to NFL rules.
Three of those have already been played, so he is eligible to return in time for the Week 17 matchup against the Packers.
Last weekend, head coach Kevin O’Connell said about his defender, “He’s doing really well. Probably ahead of the timeline we maybe initially thought. He’ll be ready to roll when he’s available to come off, I believe.”
He updated that prognosis on Tuesday when he met with the media a day after the recent victory. “He’s doing well, he’s right on schedule. He’ll go through some simulated work with the trainers this week, simulating what we would do in practice this week. The timeline of that designation would be, I believe, next week, so hoping he’s on schedule with that.”
The Vikings can open the 21-day practice window next week. This week, he is not eligible to participate in practice, but the fact that he seems able to go through a normal workload is a good sign.
Blake Cashman was signed in the offseason to take over for Jordan Hicks as the team’s top linebacker and play-caller in the middle of the defense. Minnesota native Cashman has been excellent, and it might not be a coincidence that the Vikings looked the worst without him in the two losses against the Lions and the Rams.
In the three games without Pace, Vikings fans have seen an uptick in opposing rushing yards; perhaps Pace is the missing piece in that area.
In year two of his NFL career, Pace has suited up in nine contests, recording 59 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and a fumble recovery touchdown. Among all linebackers, PFF ranked him tenth in pass rush and third in run defense. His coverage grade has fallen off from last year, but only a few linebackers are as disruptive at the line of scrimmage as the sophomore.
Expect the 24-year-old to be back in the lineup in Week 17 against the Packers, trying to contain opposing rusher Josh Jacobs. If the Vikings take care of business against the Seahawks on Sunday, the two following contests against the Packers and Lions can clinch the top seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt