Vikings’ Latest Ivan Pace Decision Raises New Questions
On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings made sure to keep starting linebacker Eric Wilson in the building after his phenomenal season. He received a nice raise on a three-year contract. That immediately cast doubt on Ivan Pace’s place in Minnesota’s plans. His undrafted rookie contract was set to expire this week and after being benched for Wilson last year, it was fair to wonder whether there would be a future for him in the Twin Cities.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday morning, “Vikings are using the low tender on restricted free agent LB Ivan Pace.”
Because Pace was an undrafted player and those have three-year deals as opposed to draftees and their four-year contracts, the linebacker is a restricted free agent. Teams can sign them to a long-term extension or, like the Vikings, use one of several tenders.
The one the Vikings used will give them the right of first refusal. Pace can still negotiate with other teams, but the Vikings could just match the offer sheet he’s signing with another franchise. If he doesn’t get an offer, he’ll cost the Vikings $3,520,000 in 2026 and become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Another organization might still be intrigued enough to offer him a deal worth more than that. Pace is not guaranteed to stay in the building, but more often than not, tendered players do.
Once an explosive defender built for Brian Flores’ defense, Pace’s trajectory has trended down over the last six months as Wilson just snatched the starting role from him.
Pace came to Minnesota after the 2023 Draft when Kwesi Adofo-Mensah won the bidding war and just signed him to an undrafted rookie contract. The linebacker from Cincinnati was intrigued by the prospect of playing under Flores. His blitzing skills were a perfect fit for the aggressive coach and his scheme.
In training camp, Pace made his presence felt and just claimed the starting role next to Jordan Hicks, a job that was believed to be Brian Asamoah’s to lose. Early in his career, Pace logged heavy snaps and his aggressive style was a problem for opposing passers.
As a rookie, Pace started 11 games and appeared in all 17, registering 102 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In his sophomore year, Pace missed some time with an injury, but still started 10 games and played in 11. His numbers still showed 72 tackles and 3 sacks. He also captured 1 interception in each year.
Last year, Pace was a starter in Week 1 and logged a total of 6 starts throughout the season. Blake Cashman missed some time once again, helping Pace to stick around. Still, His snaps dipped to 323, around 30% of the team’s defensive snaps. Just for comparison, he played about 60% in his first two campaigns.
Inconsistent tackling, combined with Wilson’s emergence as a defensive playmaker, ultimately pushed Pace into a reduced role.
In the upcoming season, Pace should be considered the LB3, barring any other major addition. He’ll be the backup behind veterans Cashman and Wilson, while also providing value on special teams. In 2025, he played 333 snaps in the underrated 3rd phase, the 3rd-most among Vikings, only trailing Bo Richter and Tavierre Thomas.
Pace is still only 25 years old, and linebacker depth charts tend to change quickly in Flores’ aggressive system. While the tender suggests Minnesota still values him, his exact role — and long-term future — remains far from settled.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.