3 teams who could steal Patrick Queen from Ravens in free agency

The Baltimore Ravens defense will look much different in the 2024 season, as it will be impossible to bring back all of the veteran pieces that made up one of the most ferocious units from last season. Former first-round selection Patrick Queen may have played his last game in Ravens purple.

Queen, a first-round pick in 2020 after a sterling career at LSU, has had an up-and-down tenure in Baltimore, though he picked a tremendous way to close out his rookie contract. Queen is now slated to hit free agency off one of the finest seasons of his career at a time when the linebacker market is quite thin.

While bringing him back would normally be a slam-dunk move, the Ravens' precarious financial situation means they need to be very judicious about who they will retain in 2024 and beyond. Queen is going to command a huge contract, and they won't be able to pay him and multiple key role players at the same time.

If the Ravens are going to part ways with Queen and let an in-house replacement like Trenton Simpson replace him, they need to watch for one of these three teams to possibly steal him away. If they want him back, Eric DeCosta better be prepared for an all-out bidding war for his services.

3 teams who could steal Patrick Queen from Baltimore Ravens.

3. Washington Commanders

Queen may not get a better chance in his professional career to cash in with a big contract, and his next spot might be determined by who ends up as the highest bidder. The local rivals over in DC have more cap space than anyone in the league, making them a prime landing spot for many of the biggest available names.

Dan Quinn knows the importance of great linebackers who can cover ground and hit hard, which makes him a natural Queen seeker irrespective of where he ended up. Washington's defense was so bad last season that Queen could be viewed as the herald of tangible change in the nation's capital.

Will Ravens LB Patrick Queen join the Washington Commanders?

Both Cody Barton and Khaleke Hudson are free agents, and former first-round pick Jamin Davis hasn't exactly been the second coming of London Fletcher in DC. Linebacker is a critical need on a Commanders squad that needs just about everything, and Queen could be at the top of the list.

Queen is a 24-year-old Pro Bowl player who could be at the top of this free agency class. If the Commanders are willing to go five years on his contract, there's a slight chance his deal approaches nine figures. The Ravens have so many free agents to bring back that such a heavy contract would be ill-advised.