It appears that the Vikings could be getting a key piece back when they play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Though head coach Kevin O’Connell wouldn’t commit earlier this week, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. seems to be trending in the right direction to make his return to the lineup. He was listed as a full participant in walkthrough on Wednesday afternoon, then a full participant in practice on Thursday afternoon.

“You never quite know,” O’Connell said earlier this week. ” We will get him some work and then hopefully have him available.”

This is the first time in his career that Pace has missed an extended period of time. He suffered a hamstring injury last month against the Chicago Bears and he’s been on injured reserve ever since.

The impact of Pace can’t be understated on defense as he consistently flies around with reckless abandon. Not only is he a physical tackler that can stop the run with regularity, he can also wreak havoc whenever he blitzes off the edge.

“We talk a lot about play style,” O’Connell said. “He’s the poster guy for that.”

Jackson draws praise

You could make an argument that nobody on the Vikings had a better training camp than safety Theo Jackson. He seemed to have an interception in every practice, garnering tons of praise from his teammates for his playmaking skills.

If it wasn’t for safety Harrison Smith, safety Cam Bynum, and safety Josh Metellus in front of him, Jackson likely would’ve carved out a niche for himself this season. Fittingly, Jackson filled in for Smith last weekend against the Seattle Seahawks, and made an interception to put the game on ice.

“I wasn’t surprised,” O’Connell said. “That’s what Theo has been for us. Just such an incredibly deep safety room. He’d be playing a lot of snaps for a lot of teams.”

Rodriguez makes debut

It’s no secret that the Vikings have strong feelings about defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez. Though he hasn’t garnered much playing time this season, Rodriguez has shown glimpses in practice both stopping the run and rushing the passer.

“He’s a guy we’re pouring into obviously for the long term,” O’Connell said. “We think he’s got a lot of upside from a versatility standpoint.”

That was on display last weekend when Rodriguez rotated in with fellow defensive tackle Jalen Redmond out with a concussion.

“We have a lot of confidence in Levi to go in there and do his job,” O’Connell said. “That’s what he did in limited snaps. I thought he’s been impactful whenever he’s gotten opportunities. He’s going to have very much a positive future for us.”

Briefly

On the injury report, the Vikings listed Smith (foot) as a full participant. That’s good news for the Vikings after Smith missed the game last weekend. The hope is that he will be available for them this weekend.

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