The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to be buyers at the NFL trade deadline this year. But some pundits have continued to wonder whether the team could also sell a current asset looking ahead to the future.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler did that with Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. The ESPN insiders included Queen on their list of the NFL’s top 25 trade candidates this season.
Queen made the list at No. 10.
“Rumors of a Queen trade persisted in the spring, with the Cowboys among teams that checked on his availability,” wrote Fowler. “He’s also a 2027 free agent. But the Steelers’ status as a 5-2 team likely keeps him in Pittsburgh.”
To Fowler’s point, Queen has been in the NFL trade rumor mill since March. At one point early in free agency, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris characterized the Steelers trading Queen as “seems imminent.” Obviously, though, no trade was made.
In seven games this season, Queen has posted 48 combined tackles, including two for loss. He also has two quarterback hits, three pass defenses, one sack and one interception.
Is Patrick Queen a Trade Candidate for the Steelers?
With under two weeks until the NFL trade deadline, it’s silly season inside the league with trades.
Granted, more unusual trades happen nowadays than ever previously. NFL general managers are much more willing to buy and sell and hedge bets with players and draft picks.
Having said that, calling Queen a trade candidate for the Steelers seems odd. At worst, it’s just flat out inaccurate.
Obviously, ESPN has the insiders. But in their article Wednesday morning, the reasoning for Queen’s inclusion on their trade candidates list was information from the offseason. They also used the fact he is a free agent next spring.
The Steelers signed the linebacker to a 3-year, $41 million contract in 2024. He is in the final year of that deal.
In ESPN’s defense, the insiders placed Queen’s likelihood of getting traded at 20%. While that’s not very high, it might be closer to zero in real life.
The Steelers sit at 5-2 and could move into first place with a home win against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday. They have a 42-year-old quarterback with their best defensive players also older than 30.
Why would the Steelers trade any starter or important backup right now? That question should persist regardless of Queen’s future status with the team.
With Aaron Rodgers expected to retire this offseason, the Steelers are likely to move on from other veterans this March. Queen could very well be one of them, as the organization looks to retool under a new quarterback.
But for the rest of the season, the Steelers should be in win-now mode.
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Rumors the Steelers could trade Queen might be persisting because media pundits know the linebacker has received significant criticism from Steelers analysts and fans. Social media users have accused Queen of “making business decisions” multiple times this season.
That criticism grew so loud before Week 7, the linebacker actually addressed one critic on X.
This past Sunday, though, Queen played very well versus the New Orleans Saints, posting eight combined tackles. At Pro Football Focus, Queen registered his highest player grade of the season.
If the Steelers see that continuing, they have even less reason to trade the linebacker this offseason. Instead, they could plan to extend Queen after the 2026 campaign.
But again, regardless of his future, it would be surprising if the Steelers deal Queen at the trade deadline.
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