Ravens: Patrick Queen named biggest disappointment of the season so far
By Kristen Wong
Where some Baltimore Ravens players have stepped up, others have shrunk from the intense scrutiny and struggled to live up to their potential.
Such is the case for Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, who was highly touted to be a breakout player in 2021.
Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report recently released a list of every NFL team’s biggest disappointment through Week 5 based on expectations entering the 2021 season.
For the Ravens, Queen made the list.
"“Patrick Queen displays tremendous range and playmaking ability. But he must break down and play better in space to realize his full potential. He regularly does his job properly. It’s when he whiffs that it becomes problematic for the entire unit.”"
In Queen’s defense, the Ravens’ entire linebacker unit has been underperforming, so Queen isn’t exactly sticking out like a sore tooth.
But given how hopeful Baltimore was about finally having a more consistent linebacker to command the defense, Queen has been quite the disappointment.
He recorded a sack in Week 1 against the Raiders, but other than that, his highlight reel is filled with lapses in coverages and poor-decision making. Queen has already posted nine missed tackles in four games, and he doesn’t appear to be improving as the weeks go on.
Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen has let his team down so far in 2021
The issues from last year are still all there. Can’t shed blocks. Poor man-to-man coverage. Inconsistent tackling.
While it may be too early to be truly concerned about Queen’s performance, there’s still reason to question his efficacy in the Ravens’ defensive scheme this season.
After putting together an up-and-down rookie year, Queen carried the precarious weight of others’ expectations for him in 2021, and of all Ravens’ defenders, his load was probably the heaviest.
His deficiencies in his second year at Baltimore won’t be solved in a single game, by a single coach, or in an instant. We can only watch and hope Queen learns how to play his position a little better game after game, making fewer mistakes as the season progresses.
Whether he needs a confidence boost or he needs more time in the film room, that’s up to the Ravens’ coaching staff to figure out.
At such an early stage in his career, Queen possesses the raw talent to become a better and smarter tackler with time and coaching.
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The more important questions are one, if he’ll be good enough to lead Baltimore’s defense this season, and two, if he’ll improve in time.
The clock is ticking.