Bleacher Report put together the list of most likely NFL cuts from each team. The Minnesota Vikings had a representative, and that turned out to be linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton stated his case in an article written on Friday.
Pace had 62 tackles, a sack and 14 pressures on the year last year. These numbers were a little bit down from his totals in 2023 and 2024. Even still, he remained somewhat of an effective linebacker for the organization.
The Vikings have a loaded linebacker group, and Moton made his case about why Pace should not be on the team come the fall.
This offseason, Minnesota selected Jake Golday in the second round of the draft and signed Jamal Adams, who converted from safety to linebacker with the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
After losing a starting job, Pace should be on high alert with the addition of Golday and Adams to the linebacker room.
Vikings Are Loaded At Linebacker
It is certainly fair to suggest that the Vikings have loaded up on depth at the linebacker position. In particular, Golday and Adams figure to be key pieces on the defense. On top of this, Pace was benched last season for Eric Wilson. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores didn’t like what he saw, and the added depth can make things even more complicated for Pace.
In terms of advanced metrics, the linebacker had a decent season. He had a 72.5 pass-rush grade, which ranked 17th among all qualified NFL linebackers. This was according to Pro Football Focus statistics. That part of his game was something that the Vikings needed last season. His work as a pass-rusher could not be ignored.
However, pass coverage was an entirely different story. He had an overall defensive grade of 45.1 due to his struggles in pass coverage. Opposing quarterbacks targeted him frequently and with success. He had a 121.8 passer rating when targeted by opposing quarterbacks. This was according to Pro Football Focus statistics.
The Vikings have a solid mix of older and younger players on the linebacker unit. Blake Cashman, Wilson, and Dallas Turner all figure to be names to watch for. Turner in particular could be beneficial on the pass rush. Turner in particular could benefit from a potential breakout campaign following the departure of Jonathan Greenard. The Vikings certainly do have a lot of questions this season, but it appears the linebacker room is not one of them.
Pace Has Been Productive For Vikings
It will certainly be interesting to see how everything plays out at this position and on this unit. Pace can play at a high level. We saw it in 2023, when he recorded 102 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble in his rookie season. He again played at a high level in 2024 when he recorded 72 combined tackles, three sacks, an interception, and a touchdown in 11 games. The talent is definitely there.
That said, the linebacker unit is extremely crowded with playmakers. There may not be room for Pace this upcoming season. This is certainly a good problem to have from the Vikings’ perspective as it means that one of the most important positions on the defense is full of talent. It will be interesting to see if Pace actually does get cut. Doing so may mean that the Vikings have faith in their linebacker room moving forward.
This is going to be one of the most interesting position battles heading into the preseason, and Pace will have to do a lot of work to prove he can still play with the unit.
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