Aug 19, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers helmets. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports.
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is out, and veteran Jamin Davis is in.
Davis last played for the Green Bay Packers, albeit on the practice squad, and will now serve as Pace Jr.’s de facto replacement on the Vikings’ 53-man roster.
The Vikings’ social media team tweeted Tuesday, “The Vikings have signed LB Jamin Davis to the 53-man roster. OLB Gabe Murphy has been activated off IR to the 53-man roster and LB Ivan Pace Jr. has been placed on IR.”
Pace Jr. will miss at least the next four games, and if his recovery proceeds well, he’ll be eligible to return in Week 17 for a date at home versus the Packers. That’s the best-case scenario.
Here’s Davis’ career resume to date:
The Commanders pulled Davis from Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft — the same night that the Vikings scooped left tackle Christian Darrisaw from Virginia Tech — but the 25-year-old experienced a failure to launch in the nation’s capital, at least by a 1st-Rounder’s standards. He’s played in 50 career games while starting 36 and has banked 282 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 7 sacks, and a tackle for loss.
Here’s Davis’ Pro Football Focus resume to date:
Davis’ skill set is somewhat similar to Pace Jr.’s — he’s at his best rushing the passer and helping to stuff the run, but his pass coverage is suspect. We shall see what attributes he brings to Minnesota’s defense in the next four weeks. It is unclear if Davis will receive immediate playing time or if the team will roll with a veteran like Kamu Grugier-Hill or Brian Asamoah. Probably the latter.
These are the Vikings’ current linebackers with Pace Jr. on the shelf and Davis in the house:
The Vikings’ defense ranks first in the NFL per DVOA and EPA/Play through 11 games.
Davis ran a 4.41 forty leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. The speed is there.
Minnesota next plays the Arizona Cardinals this weekend, a home game where the Vikings are favored to win by three or four points.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.