Patrick Queen is already one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL and it showed in the Ravens win over the Bengals:
Patrick Queen may be the best young linebacker in the NFL, and he is off to a freakishly good start to his NFL career. Patrick Queen has 42 total tackles this season which as this is written on Sunday evening, ranks seventh in the NFL in tackles. Queen who has 29 solo tackles is producing like one of the top linebackers in the game and he only has five games under his belt. Queen has two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Against the Bengals, Queen forced a fumble and recovered it on a hit that surely would make ESPN’s Jacked Up segment if it was still going on. Queen scored his first NFL touchdown when Marlon Humphrey punched out the football for his second fumble recovery of the game. It’s still very early, but you can check this pick off as a hit for the Ravens in the NFL Draft. Queen has the goods.
Queen has had at least four solo tackles in every game this season. He had double-digit total tackles against the Washington Football team. The Ravens put a rookie in the middle of their defense and they got better, not worse. In fact, the Ravens defense looks faster. If you’re playing Patrick Queen bingo, the only thing you have left on your sheet is his first career interception.
Queen is on pace to rack up over 100 tackles in his rookie season. That’s an accomplishment that C.J. Mosley reached in four of his five seasons in Baltimore. The Ravens’ leading tackler last year was Chuck Clark and he had just 77 tackles.
Queen didn’t just fill the Mosley void though, he’s already one of the best linebackers in football. Queen seemingly has his hands in everything the Ravens do defensively. He’s got the athleticism to be a football magnet. He’s always going to be close to the ball.
The Bottom Line:
It’s obvious that the Ravens have something special in Queen. Just about every week he picks up another impressive first of his NFL career. When Pro Bowl voting starts, Queen should get some love by the fans. He’s playing at a Pro Bowl level. His productivity and the energy he gives the Baltimore defense make him an obvious Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
Queen is going to be good. We kind of knew that when he was drafted. I’m not sure most people knew he was going to be this good, this early. Queen is exceptional and he might just be the best inside linebacker in the division (Yeah, Devin Bush, I said it).