Early in the 2026 NFL season, veteran linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. looked like an expendable member of the Vikings' roster. Formerly a starting interior LB, Pace's role with the team continued to shrink until it looked like he was being phased out of defensive coordinator Brian Flores's system.

Fast forward to Week 3, though, when Pace played 16 defensive snaps against the Buccaneers on Sunday, turning those opportunities into three tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits on his way to an 80.6 pass rush grade on Pro Football Focus.

Excelling as a blitzer in Tampa Bay, Pace may have kicked open the door for more playing time. While that won't be enough for him to pass Eric Wilson or Blake Cashman on the depth chart, it could convince the coaching staff to be more comfortable rotating him into the lineup more often.

Vikings must trust Ivan Pace Jr. more in their defensive scheme

The Vikings' defense is designed to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and force them into bad throws or poor decisions. When asked to rush the quarterback, the fourth-year Minnesota linebacker has delivered on those opportunities.

Minnesota drafted linebacker Jake Golday in the second round this year, and it looked like he would take a lot of the snaps that would normally have gone to Pace. Instead, Golday saw only two defensive snaps in Week 3, which shows the trust the coaches have in his veteran counterpart.

Passing situations will be a great time to plug Pace into the lineup. He isn't as strong against the run, where he earned a 27.0 PFF grade for tackling. His two missed tackles tanked that grade and likely brought even more attention to his struggle in that phase of the game.

That doesn't mean that Minnesota has to move him off special teams. He has become a regular in that phase of the game, playing 85% of all special teams snaps this season and 75% last season.

As a backup who can be a good pass rusher and make a difference on special teams, Pace adds value to both Flores's and special teams coordinator Matt Daniels's units.

Many times, when a player loses their starting role, they spiral and are eventually no longer part of that roster.

The Vikings were patient with Pace and are finding ways to get him on the field when it plays to his strengths. That is how smart coaches take an awkward situation and turn it into one where both the player and the team can thrive.

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