The Vikings have had starting inside linebackers Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman together for just six of 11 games this season, and now they’ll be without Pace for at least another four games.
Vikings place linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. on injured reserve, sign former first-round pick Jamin Davis
Pace, the second-year undrafted starter, will miss at least the next four games due to a hamstring strain suffered during Sunday’s win in Chicago.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 26, 2024 at 10:10PM
Pace was placed on injured reserve Tuesday because of the hamstring strain he suffered in the first quarter of Sunday’s win in Chicago. He left after five plays. He’ll now miss at least games against the Cardinals, Falcons, Bears and Seahawks. The earliest he can return is Dec. 29 vs. Green Bay.
The Vikings signed fourth-year linebacker Jamin Davis off the Packers practice squad and to the active roster, joining Cashman, Kamu Grugier-Hill and Brian Asamoah on the depth chart.
“We really feel for him,” Cashman said after Sunday’s win. “Hate to see one of your guys get injured. We gotta lean on him, be there for him, and we’re going to need him to get right because we have playoff football ahead.”
Pace, the second-year undrafted linebacker, ranks third on the team with 59 combined tackles despite also missing two games earlier this season because of a knee injury. He also has three sacks and a fumble returned for a touchdown during the Oct. 20 loss to the Lions.
The Vikings added Davis, a 25-year-old former first-round pick by the Washington Commanders. He spent the past month on Green Bay’s practice squad, where the Vikings acquired him from, after he had been released by Washington in October.
Davis, drafted 19th overall out of Kentucky in 2021, was mostly an off-the-ball linebacker for the Commanders over three seasons, when he had seven sacks, six pass deflections and an interception in 36 starts. Washington used Davis sparingly on the defensive line this season before he was cut.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has previously used a committee approach to fill linebacker absences. Cashman missed three games due to turf toe as well. The Vikings leaned on 30-year-old veteran Grugier-Hill, who has played 138 defensive snaps, and safety Josh Metellus, among others, to fill the void.
The Vikings also activated edge rusher Gabe Murphy, the undrafted rookie out of UCLA, from injured reserve. Murphy has yet to make his NFL debut due to a knee injury suffered this summer. Murphy takes the roster spot freed up by tight end Nick Muse, who cleared waivers Tuesday after being waived on Monday. Muse is expected to re-sign to the practice squad, a league source said.
After early success on special teams, the Vikings broke even with costly plays in the final minutes of regulation as the Bears mounted an 11-point comeback.
