EAGAN, Minn. — Blake Cashman's leadership makes him an outstanding "quarterback" of the Vikings defense.

"He's a guy that came in and had to fill a big role," Ivan Pace, Jr., said Thursday. "He came in and basically got the defense on his back. We all came together to listen to him on the field and follow his footsteps."

The linebackers are feeding off each other's contrasting styles – Pace is a heat-seeking missile; Cashman's athleticism really shines in space. Pace is five years his junior, but Cashman considers himself a student.

"I love playing with I.P.," Cashman said last month. "For me, it doesn't matter how many plays you've made, how experienced you are, how many years you're in the league, you can always learn from different guys because everybody has a different toolset, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses."

Sunday's Week 7 clash against Detroit (4-1) will mark the third instance this year where the duo is split in half – Pace was sidelined with an ankle injury against Houston and Green Bay – and first without Cashman, who is dealing with turf toe, a sprain of the ligaments surrounding the big toe joint. It's a tricky injury as there's varying grades and recovery times – it can have lingering effects on the severe end without rest.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on Friday ruled out Cashman for the divisional game. Earlier in the week, he said the team doesn't think it will be a "long-term injury with IR or anything involving that."

For now, that means Cashman must pass off the "green dot" on his helmet, which designates what player receives radio messages from a coach on the headset. He's worn it the first five games this season.

"It comes with a lot of responsibility. It's not something I take lightly," Cashman expressed. "I'm somewhat of a perfectionist, so anything that's [amiss] – if there's miscommunication; something wasn't clean in the huddle; somebody missed an assignment – I take a lot of pride and believe that's my fault."

In his sixth NFL campaign, and humbly aware of his checkered history of staying healthy, Cashman shared an inkling that Pace, at some point, would be in charge for at least a game. He trusted Pace to stay ready.

"Me and I.P., one thing that we're continuing to focus on every week is being the heartbeat of the defense, being the commander-in-chief and running the show," Cashman mentioned. "I told him, 'It doesn't matter if I have the green dot. There's probably going to be a week this year that you have the green dot.' It's up to the ownership of us two, and our group as linebackers, to command this defense."

Pace said he's excited for the opportunity to wear the colored sticker on the back of his helmet, again. He was entrusted with the role a couple times in 2023 when veteran teammate Jordan Hicks was injured.

In three games this season, Pace has performed well, startling offenses. He has 21 total tackles, including 15 solo, three quarterback hits and one sack. He had 102 tackles (63 solo) in 11 starts last year.

Cashman shared that he closely watched Pace's downhill approach and "feel" moving behind the Vikings defensive line in training camp – he was impressed by Pace playing at such a high level as an undrafted rookie under Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores; he's tried mimicking Pace's defense of cutbacks.

And Pace has pulled from Cashman's game, specifically his technique on third downs.

"[We're] total opposites, honestly," Pace said. "He's a better pass coverage guy than me. … He's always right there. … Learning from him in that [phase] and watching him on tape, it's helping me a lot."

Cashman, whose under-discussed coverage chops have resulted in a team-high five passes defended, also leads the Vikings defense with eight tackles per game and 334 snaps (93.82% of the group's 356).

His absence suggests another expanded role for veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill, who went from zero snaps on defense in back-to-back games at the start of the season to 20-plus in Weeks 3-4 when Pace was hurt.

Grugier-Hill was so impactful against Houston and Green Bay, intercepting a pass in the first quarter in each game, that he was trusted to substitute for Pace at different points in every quarter against the Jets.

"Kamu has been awesome when he's stepped in there," said O'Connell, listing several options the Vikings could explore to best defend one of the top offenses in the NFL without Cashman. "And then I think whether it's [Joshua] Metellus, whether it's the different personnel groupings that we use, we've got a whole bunch of flexibility with some of those edge players, as well, about how we can align."

O'Connell elaborated Friday on Grugier-Hill, who was drafted by New England when Flores was the Patriots linebackers coach.

"Whether it's a unique D&D (down and distance) where we think he gives us the best 11 that we can put on the field, or in the event of needing a guy to step up … he's incredibly versatile," O'Connell said, adding it shows up in base and nickel groupings. "That's probably the best thing he's brought, is just that skill set, but consistently doing it regardless of circumstance. Whether [it's as] a starter, a role guy, maybe it's (special) teams for one weekend, [he's] going to show up on the tape, and I'm going to be showing plays that Kamu's making in front of the team on Monday morning."

O'Connell's belief is echoed by players.

Pace realized from afar, during his inactive stint, that "my brothers have got my back," he said. "If I go down or somebody else goes down then somebody is going to step in – like Kamu did – and fill the position that needs to be filled."

The front-seven teamwork and next-man-up mentality so far has been awesome. It needs to carry over into Sunday's game against the Lions, who average nearly 160 yards on the ground and 4.8 yards per pop.

The Vikings defense ranks second in the NFL in yards rushing allowed per game (67.2 avg.), is tied for second in yards per carry (3.6) and first in fewest touchdowns (1) and first downs given up on the ground (15).

It's a two-year trend.

In other words, the group has been successful since Flores took control as defensive coordinator and play-caller. The unit was one of eight to yield fewer than 100 yards per game and four yards per rush in 2023, a big swivel from the one season under Ed Donatell's direction, in which the Vikings allowed 123.1 and 4.5 averages.

Scheme is one distinct difference. Few coaches possess a range of disguised pressures as wide as Flores.

"You just never quite know what you're going to be running into from a standpoint of either edge pressure or pressure from the backside," O'Connell explained, adding a philosophical element at play.

"The way I look at it, though," O'Connell said, "stopping the run is very much about the simple things – setting edges, playing the cutback with cutback players, defeating blocks and making tackles. And having as many Purple hats doing that snap-in-and-snap-out is what really makes that go, and I think the players have really capitalized on being put in some good positions by Flo', and they're making a lot of plays."

Grugier-Hill commented: "Cash and I.P. and our d-line have just been phenomenal."

Pace is maybe the best demonstration of the kind of play style the Vikings have committed to – he plays at 100 miles per hour; he's physical and instinctual; he's a great match for Flores' blitz-laden defense.

"That dude is – he's special," Grugier-Hill said. "Some of the stuff he does, I haven't seen in all my nine years. There's some plays, I swear, I'm like, I have no idea how he's doing some of the stuff he does."

Pace, 23, is a growing leader, too, making him a natural pick to fill in as the hub of communication.

His knowledge base – what he knows about offenses; the types of routes they like in certain situations, and grasp of Flores' call menu depending on packages – is greater in Year 2. So is his effort to speak up.

"[I'm] trying to talk more to the team," Pace shared. "Open up a little bit more; know that I'm the quarterback of the defense. I've got to express that and let them know that they can follow my lead."

The defensive green dot is a middleman between Flores and the 10 other players – the voice behind the vision, vocalizing what Flores and assistants are seeing from the sideline and booth.

Grugier-Hill likened the process to what quarterbacks do.

"He just gets the call and gives everyone the call," Grugier-Hill said, "and then as the other linebacker you try to help him get everything situated, as well. But he's in charge – whatever he says goes."

The one-way communication from Flores doesn't stop at Cashman (or Pace) – it's quickly disseminated.

"What I love about this defense and the guys we have is there's a lot of accountability and leadership," Cashman said, detailing why all 11 guys must be clued in. "When a game goes fast and guys are tired – motions, shifts, whatever – there's a chance someone's going to make the wrong check or miss a call. It's up to the guy next to him to pick him up, and that's something we work on and preach every week."