Since joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, Patrick Queen just hasn’t lived up to the hype. Entering his third season with the organization, the linebacker’s decline is starting to become more apparent to those around the NFL.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently surveyed league executives, coaches and scouts to help rank the league’s top 10 off-ball linebackers. Unfortunately for Queen, he did not make this year’s list.
Patrick Queen Earns Honorable Mention Among Top 10 LBs
Queen was left off a list that included AFC North rivals Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens (No. 2) and Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns (No. 3). However, he did receive enough votes to land on Fowler’s honorable mention list.
Still, one evaluator offered a clear explanation for why Queen was left outside the top 10.
“He is very good when he turns it on and uses his speed and strength. His play is too inconsistent for my taste,” one AFC personnel evaluator told Fowler.
Queen arrived in Pittsburgh with high expectations following his first four seasons in Baltimore. His 2023 campaign, the final year of his rookie contract with the Ravens, helped earn him a three-year, $41 million deal with the Steelers.
That season, Queen earned his first Pro Bowl selection while recording one interception, six pass deflections, one forced fumble, 3.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Since arriving in Pittsburgh, however, he has totaled 11 pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
The criticism hasn’t stopped there, though.
ESPN’s Mike Clay recently identified off-ball linebacker as Pittsburgh’s biggest weakness entering the 2026 season, specifically pointing to Queen and Payton Wilson.
“Queen remained an every-down player last season but slipped to 61st among 67 qualified off-ball linebackers in PFF grade (he ranked 54th among 69 qualified in 2024),” Clay wrote.
What’s Patrick Queen’s Future With Steelers Look Like?
Recently, Queen was also listed among the top five potential cut candidates to watch by Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay.
Beyond the inconsistency concerns, Kay believes moving on from Queen could make financial sense for the Steelers.
“Releasing Queen would save Pittsburgh nearly $11 million against the cap, money that it could allocate toward finding a cheaper replacement and still have cash available to spend elsewhere,” Kay wrote.
Considering all of those factors, it’s somewhat surprising Queen still received enough support to earn honorable mention recognition from Fowler’s panel.
The prevailing narrative surrounding Queen is that he hasn’t been the same player he was in Baltimore, nor the player many expected him to become in Pittsburgh.
Could that change in 2026? Absolutely.
The Steelers will have a new defensive coordinator in Patrick Graham as part of Mike McCarthy’s coaching staff. Queen spent his first two seasons in Pittsburgh playing under Teryl Austin, who had overseen the Steelers’ defense since 2022.
It goes without saying that Queen has plenty to prove in 2026. A new coaching staff could be exactly what he needs to get his career back on track.
If not, the questions surrounding his future in Pittsburgh are only going to get louder.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen Under Fire Again Amid Annual ESPN Ranking