Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan made it clear that the team would be addressing the inside linebacker position this offseason. On Tuesday, the Steelers reportedly came to an agreement with former Baltimore Ravens LB Patrick Queen, which certainly qualifies as addressing the position.
So it is no wonder that former Steelers CB Bryant McFadden is excited. He joined CBS Sports HQ Tuesday afternoon to provide some immediate reaction.
“I’m fired up because this was a huge necessity for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” McFadden said. “If you follow their team defensively, a year ago they were hit with so many injuries, especially at the off-ball linebacker position.”
As McFadden noted, the Steelers had a definite need for high-quality, off-ball linebackers. There’s still no timetable for Cole Holcomb’s return from injury, and Kwon Alexander is a free agent. Both of those linebackers were big parts of the rotation at inside linebacker in 2023 until they both went down with season-ending injuries in consecutive weeks.
That meant players like Mark Robinson, Myles Jack, and Blake Martinez all actually started a game for the Steelers in 2023. However, don’t mistake the Steelers signing Queen as simply getting a healthy body in at the linebacker position that is a cut above those three. That wouldn’t get McFadden this excited.
“He’s a guy that plays off the ball,” McFadden said. “But he’s always in the backfield getting key tackles for losses, which shows about the instincts he has, the football IQ to be able to dissect plays and shoot the gap to be able to get tackles behind the line of scrimmage…Getting a guy like Pat Queen is huge because you instantly improve your team and you take one of the more big-time contributors from your rival in the division, from the Baltimore Ravens.”
Queen was the 28th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Ravens. He has started every single game since entering the league, and he’s had 100-plus total tackles in every season but 2021. He has 454 total tackles, 37 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks, 15 passes defended, four interceptions, five forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries in his career.
The Steelers not only are addressing a position of need, but they are also addressing it with a top-caliber young player. He immediately slots in next to Elandon Roberts, who is coming off a quality season for the Steelers.
Plus, it never hurts to take away a quality player from your biggest rival. Especially since the Ravens reportedly agreed to sign RB Derrick Henry on Wednesday. Will Queen elevate the Steelers’ defense to the next level? He certainly could if he keeps improving. He will only be 25 in August, after all.
You can watch the entirety of McFadden’s reaction below:
