Dating back to the tragic injury to linebacker Ryan Shazier on the road in Cincinnati during the 2017 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to find an answer at inside linebacker.
To the Steelers’ credit, they sure have tried, looking high and low for answers via the draft, free agency and even trades.
They seem to have found that answer this offseason, though, looking just south to Baltimore for the answer. The Steelers mad a significant splash in free agency, signing veteran linebacker Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal in free agency, snagging him away from the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens in the process.
While off-ball linebacker might not be all that valuable in today’s game, it’s still a key component for the Steelers’ 3-4 defense, so expectations are high for Queen.
For Pro Football Focus’s Steve Palazzolo, who appeared on the 93.7 The Fan PM Show with co-hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller Thursday, Queen should be able to do some big-time things at linebacker for the Steelers in 2024 and beyond, even without a talent like Roquan Smith next to him defensively.
“Yeah, I mean, if he continues what he did in Baltimore. I thought he looked like a completely different player in the last year, year and a half with the Ravens,” Palazzolo said of Queen, according to video via 93.7 The Fan on YouTube. “Again, I think you have to say how much was being in that Mike MacDonald scheme? How much is it having Roquan Smith? But Queen has incredible athleticism, excellent range in coverage, has to clean up some tackling issues when he is flying around the field. But I think he has a ton of potential.
“I thought he had a ton of potential when he came out in the first round at LSU, kind of looked like he was lost a little bit at times, early in his career. Again, the tackling was an issue, but the range that he has and the athleticism, I think he could do some big time things at linebacker.”
The Steelers are expecting big-time things at inside linebacker from Queen, which is why they made a significant splash for him in free agency, going outside of their normal mode of operation to land the second-team All-Pro linebacker.
Steelers’ GM Omar Khan called the move to land Queen a “no-brainer” ahead of training camp, and Queen has done nothing to hinder those positive thoughts.
Queen easily becomes the best linebacker the Steelers have had off the ball since the Shazier days. Those are big shoes to fill, but Queen is a perfect fit overall.
Last season with the Ravens, Queen had a dominant year, recording a career-high 133 tackles, 9 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.
If he can continue to play at a high level and put the concerns about not having Smith next to him to bed, Queen could cement himself as one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL, and the Steelers’ defense will do big things in the process.
