Three months since signing veteran linebacker Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal, making a sizable splash in free agency, Pittsburgh Steelers GM Omar Khan is still fired up about the move.
Appearing on 93.7 The Fan’s PM Show with co-hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller Thursday following the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, Khan spoke highly of the Steelers’ new signing at the inside linebacker position.
“…You can’t ever have enough good players. And we’ve had, what, eight or nine games against Patrick Queen and we’ve seen what he can do. And when there was an opportunity in free agency and we communicated with his agent and it was one of those things that we’re in a position, we have cap room to do it,” Khan said of the Queen signing, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “And honestly, it was a no-brainer. He was interested in us, we were interested in him, and he’s great for this defense. Like, I can’t wait for you guys to see him.
“…I can’t wait for you guys and the rest of the fans to see him in Latrobe running around.”
Last season, the Steelers found out the hard way that you can never have enough good players, especially at inside linebacker. They entered the season with Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts at the position, but Holcomb and Alexander were eventually lost for the season, leading to the Steelers scrambling late in 2023.
While Roberts was really good, having to cycle through so many players was difficult on the Steelers late in the season, which led to Pittsburgh addressing the position in a major way in the offseason.
Queen was the biggest fish available, and Khan landed him hook, line and sinker with the three-year deal, stealing him away from the Baltimore Ravens in the process.
Queen becomes the best linebacker the Steelers have had off the ball since the Ryan Shazier days. Those are big shoes to fill, but Queen is a perfect fit overall.
Last season with the Ravens, Queen had a dominant season, recording a career-high 133 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and an interception, earning second-team All-Pro accolades. He is a true run-and-hit linebacker downhill against the run and can drop into coverage, giving him the ability to play in all situations.
At just 24 years old, Queen’s best football appears to be ahead of him, and that will hopefully come quickly in the Black and Gold at a position that was a major area of need entering the offseason.
After OTAs and minicamp, the focus shifts to training camp, where the pads will come on, the offense and the defense will really go at it, and Queen will get a chance to perform right away in front of the fans on Chuck Noll Field at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Khan is quite excited for that and hopes that fans are, too.
