Exit Meeting: ILB Patrick Queen
Experience: 6 Years
Patrick Queen signed a three-year deal with the Steelers two seasons ago—will he finish that contract, or even sign an extension? After posting two straight 120-tackle seasons, he has established himself as the voice of the defense. It’s a role he had to adapt to, having had Roquan Smith for much of his time in Baltimore.
The Steelers signed Queen to a three-year, $41 million contract, averaging $13.67 million per season. In the final year of his deal in 2026, he is set to earn $13.33 million, including a $2.5 million roster bonus. But with a new coaching staff stepping in, will they feel as strongly about him and his game?
Patrick Queen is likely a player that former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin specifically targeted. It just so happens that the only defensive coach new HC Mike McCarthy retained, though, is Queen’s position coach. That is Scott McCurley, who also previously worked under McCarthy in Dallas.
That isn’t necessarily good or bad for Queen, but rather it means McCurley should have a pretty clear opinion. How much will McCarthy lean on his opinion, having coached these players for the past year? New DC Patrick Graham figures to have a lot of say in the matter. Unlike Tomlin, McCarthy is not hands-on with the defense.
A 2020 first-round pick by the Ravens, Patrick Queen has 703 tackles over six seasons. He has two Pro Bowls to his name, including in 2024, his first season with the Steelers. That year, he recorded 129 tackles, including 6 for loss, with 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 7 passes defensed. Last season, he finished with 120 tackles, 8 for loss, with 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 4 passes defensed.
A concern is the fact that Queen also seemed to fall into some old habits. He had a high percentage of missed tackles last season, having had arguably his best season in that regard a year earlier. In addition to Queen at inside linebacker, the Steelers also have Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, and Carson Bruener. If they so choose, they could also re-sign Cole Holcomb.
If by chance the Steelers wanted to move on from Patrick Queen, they could clear some cap space. They never restructured his contract, and there is no future dead money beyond 2026. If released, taking his contract off the books would save $13.33 million. That doesn’t strike me as likely, however.
The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at home, the inevitable result of another early playoff exit. This is a repeated pattern for the organization, but with major change coming. As the Steelers conduct their own exit meetings, we will go down the roster conducting our own. Who should stay, and who should go, and how? Who should expect a bigger role next season, and who might deserve a new contract? The resignation of Mike Tomlin makes those questions much more difficult to answer, but much more important. We’ll explore those questions and more in these articles, part of an annual series.