Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen was once a key part of the Baltimore Ravens defense. He played in purple for four seasons, grew into a playmaker next to Roquan Smith, and then left in 2024 for one reason and one reason only—money.
Queen didn’t just leave. He left for the rival Steelers, taking a three-year, $41 million deal that made him Pittsburgh’s highest-paid external free agent in franchise history. Not only that, but he became the seventh highest-paid LB in the league after he put pen to paper. That contract might’ve looked fine at the time, but it’s already starting to feel like a pretty big liability. Especially when you zoom out and see where he stacks up now.
According to Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus Queen is the 16th-best linebacker heading into 2025:
“After two excellent seasons in Baltimore, Queen wasn’t as strong in his first trip out in Pittsburgh. His 56.7 PFF overall grade fell well short of the 70.0-plus marks he posted in the two seasons prior. Now more acclimated to the Steelers, Queen may return to his baseline, which is 64.0-plus PFF grades in run defense, coverage and pass rushing.”
Interestingly enough, Queen played alongside Roquan Smith his last two seasons in Baltimore... what a coincidence. It's almost as if playing next to Smith made Queen a better player. It did. Queen was once considered one of the bright young LBs in the league. It's fair to call into question if that's still the case.
Patrick Queen hasn’t lived up to the money in Pittsburgh
Queen didn't have a terrible 2024 season by any means. He started every game, totaled 129 tackles, forced a pair of fumbles, and even made the Pro Bowl. But those surface-level numbers didn’t tell the full story. He led the team in missed tackles, got picked apart in man coverage, and struggled to cleanly relay calls with the green dot on his helmet. He just wasn't the same not playing next to Smith.
It was a stark contrast to what Ravens fans were accustomed to while he was playing next to Roquan. By all accounts, his play in 2024 didn't warrant the hefty price tag.
Even in his better moments, something just always felt a little off. The production just wasn’t there. And now the Steelers are paying him nearly $18 million against the cap in 2025, with over $14 million in dead money on the table if they move on.
Meanwhile, the Ravens are living their best lives. Smith came in at No. 4 on the same list Queen dropped to 16th on. Trenton Simpson is holding down the other linebacker spot... for now. Rookie Teddye Buchanan and free agent Jake Hummel could vie for snaps, but that's unlikely. Regardless, Baltimore made the right call prioritizing Nnamdi Madubuike over Queen last spring.
There’s no real bitterness here—just validation. It felt like fans knew what was coming all along as soon as Queen left. All he had to do was play one season without Roquan, and everything started to fall apart.