The 40 Most Important Vikings of 2026: No. 34 — Ivan Pace Jr.

Safety Theo Jackson checked in at No. 35, and this time, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. gets a turn, ranked by VikesNow as the 34th-most important Minnesota Viking of 2026. The fourth-year defender has a pretty influential year afoot, and that all starts next week at training camp.

As is stands, Pace Jr. is probably looking at an ILB3 job on the depth chart.

Former Starter Hits Career Crossroads

Pace Jr.’s Role in 2026

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has two inside linebackers in front of Pace Jr. — almost automatically — on the depth chart. Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson are penciled in to start, with Wilson receiving a fresh three-year contract extension in March, which was one of Minnesota’s very first offseason moves. Cashman, too, is due for an extension – – that could arrive sometime this summer.

That puts Pace Jr. in ILB3 territory, sharing backup space with rookie Jake Golday.

Why has Pace Jr. become a reserve linebacker as of late? A couple of Pro Football Focus metrics illustrate the answer:

And on pass coverage:

Until those areas are improved, he’s likely looking at part-time work in the Vikings’ defense.

What Success Looks Like

Success for Pace Jr. in 2026 can be defined in three ways. First, if he were to organically reclaim the starting job he lost to Wilson through brute-force determination, that’s obviously his preferred path. Show up to training camp, ball out, and make oneself indispensable during regular season games.

Second, if Wilson or Cashman go down with injuries, Pace Jr. would be on deck for a starter’s workload, so long as the aforementioned Golday isn’t immediately ready as a rookie. Pace Jr., in theory, could do to Wilson what Wilson did to him last year: play so wonderfully that the other guy just remains on the bench.

Finally, Pace Jr. should strut his stuff when Flores calls on him. For example, Pace Jr. will see limited action based on the current setup. If Cashman and Wilson start from cover to cover this season, Pace Jr. can still perform efficiently and create a fantastic game tape for 2027 free agency.

In short, Pace Jr. must return to this 2023 pedigree.

What Could Make This Ranking Look Too Low – – or Too High

Pace Jr. will be deemed too low on this list in retrospect if he rebounds and salvages his career when the Vikings insert him into the lineup. That’s possible. The 2023 version of Pace Jr. was simply magnificent; there’s no other way to put it – – for a rookie linebacker or any linebacker. He played tenaciously and opportunistically.

The ranking could also be too high if Pace Jr.’s career trajectory continues its tumble. For example, when the offseason began, Vikings fans weren’t too sure if the franchise would re-sign him. Then, during the draft, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski spent 2nd-round capital on Golday, which could’ve put Pace Jr. on notice.

Like all NFL teams, Minnesota is not immune to surprise roster cuts. Pace Jr.’s contract is structured so that there’s basically no pain if the Vikings released him amid roster trimdowns in late August. NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper noted in April, “The Vikings tendered Pace at the right of first refusal level, which would have given them a chance to match any outside offer sheet without entitling them to any compensation if Pace moved on. Pace is now set to make $3.52 million for the coming season.”

Next in the Countdown

Starting at 40 and digging down to Pace Jr.’s spot, here’s the order so far.

40 | Myles Price (WR)
39 | Tai Felton (WR)
38 | Demond Claiborne (RB)
37 | Caleb Tiernan (OT)
36 | Bo Richter (OLB)
35 | Theo Jackson (S)
34 | Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)

At No. 33, defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez will make an appearance. He’ll hope to delay rookie nose tackle Domonique Orange’s emergence at training camp, as Rodriguez enters Year No. 3 in 2026.

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VikesNow Verdict: Pace remains a useful blitzer and special teams contributor, but his path back to a substantial defensive role requires better tackling and coverage. With Cashman and Wilson established and Golday entering as a 2nd-round pick, this summer could determine whether Pace rebounds or becomes a rotational defender.
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About The Author

Dustin Baker

Dustin Baker is the co-founder and editor of VikesNow, a novelist, and a political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders, is out now, along with his debut thriller, The Motor Route. He hosts VikesNow on YouTube and has followed the Minnesota Vikings intently since 1996. Guilty pleasures include peanut butter ice cream, The Sopranos, Basset Hounds, and The Doors.

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