Wake Up Call at Steelers Linebacker Position
Last offseason, we saw numerous mix-ups around the league, with players switching teams to rival clubs. One of the biggest switches we saw was Patrick Queen, a former Baltimore Raven, signing a three-year deal with the Steelers worth $41 million, making him the seventh-highest-paid Linebacker in the NFL. With high amounts of money came high expectations for the soon-to-be 26-year-old linebacker. However, in his first season with Pittsburgh, Queen raised some eyebrows and concerns as to whether he was worth the money.
Players at different positions start to show signs of regression at various ages. For linebackers, it’s common to see a downward trajectory in production around the age of 27-28 years old. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Patrick Queen may have begun this process a few years early. The big positive for Queen, however, is his lack of injury history. He’s stayed as healthy as a player could be throughout his five-year tenure in the league. In his first four years with the Ravens, Queen was outstanding. He racked up 100+ tackles, multiple sacks, and an interception in three of his four seasons in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the same type of production did not carry over to Pittsburgh.
One thing I believe in as part of being a great linebacker is the ability to be the glue guy of the defense, while also being able to cover many areas and aspects of the game on his own. Essentially, one’s ability to make an impactful play without any assist from another player. After four seasons with the Ravens, Patrick Queen’s percentage of total tackles that were solo tackles came out to an average of 65.5%. In his first season with Pittsburgh, he settled for 65 solo tackles and 64 assisted tackles, just over 50%, and a noticeable decrease from his years in Baltimore.
When building a defense, finding the right guy to man the middle of the field is very tricky. Queen has extremely athletic capabilities and a good size and frame, but the production just wasn’t there in year one with the Steelers. For a replacement, the Steelers could look in many different directions. They could start some heavy scouting on prospects for next year’s draft class, such as Anthony Hill Jr. out of Texas; the six-foot-three, 235-pound stud who put together 113 tackles, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and an interception. Hill Jr. is an all-around beast who any team would feel lucky to have. There are also numerous upcoming 2026 free agents at the linebacker position. Staying true to the nature of their plan for this offseason, signing and trading for many experienced veterans, they could look to Bobby Wagner, Lavonte David, or Demario Davis, likely at a cheap price considering their respective ages and current points in their careers. Although there are certainly more pressing issues in Pittsburgh than on the defensive side of the ball, if Patrick Queen doesn’t find his old self this year, it might be time to find a new man to middle the defense.
