When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Patrick Queen, head coach Mike Tomlin knew they didn’t just improve their own roster. They also made the Baltimore Ravens worse. Granted, it doesn’t appear the Ravens had any intention of attempting to re-sign him, anyway. But the Steelers are glad they don’t have to play him twice a year, either way.
Tomlin appeared on Up & Adams on Saturday. Kay Adams asked him if he was happier that Patrick Queen is a Steeler or that he’s not a Raven. “Man, that’s a difficult question. I see the benefit in both”, he said with a laugh. But the fact that it’s even a question speaks volumes, as the Steelers felt when Ray Lewis retired.
Tomlin wasn’t the only one talking about how annoying it was to play Queen with the Ravens. Cameron Heyward, on Inside Training Camp Live, recalled playing against him, “Man, it would be nice to have him”. But, as he added, “Now we got him”.
Last year, Patrick Queen recalled Mike Tomlin telling him that he wasn’t a Raven, and he took umbrage with that. But he sees it in a different light now that he’s a Steeler, which Tomlin says it feels like he’s always been.
Queen had his best season last year, making the Pro Bowl and even the All-Pro List with the Ravens. He plans to be just as dynamic a force with the Steelers, saying that he’s “always gonna be in a different spot”.
One of the most complete off-ball linebackers in the game, Queen can play the run, rush the passer, and cover. His speed has also been very apparent during the Steelers’ training camp practices so far, though he had some getting used to. As he recently said, he had never tackled in practice before with the Ravens, so that was new to him.
“He helps so much”, Alex Highsmith said of Patrick Queen on the NFL Network. “He’s a baller, so just having him, he’s huge for our defense. He brings a lot of chirpiness and energy and juice to our defense. We’re just excited to have him as part of our defense, now on our team instead of our rivals”.
Last month, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh referred to ILB Trenton Simpson as “a younger version” of Patrick Queen. While there were other factors, including other players they needed to pay, that is one of the reasons the Ravens were comfortable allowing Queen to leave in free agency.
But the Steelers are grateful for it, all the same. While they still have Roquan Smith, Mike Tomlin’s defense now has Patrick Queen to play with. He is the most dynamic player they have had at that position since Ryan Shazier, and they know it. And frankly, they also know that Trenton Simpson is not just going to walk in Queen’s shoes.
