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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen ripped his team’s defense and delivered a harsh warning after their Week 1 win.
With the new league year approaching, all 32 NFL teams — including the Pittsburgh Steelers — will have to make some tough decisions regarding their rosters.
For some, it will simply mean allowing pending free agents to hit the open market. For others, it will come down to a choice between cutting them or keeping them.
Most of those decisions will revolve around cap space, and the Steelers currently rank ninth in the NFL with $44.943 million available, according to Over The Cap. That’s manageable, but they could be looking to create even more flexibility.
There’s also the possibility that both the team and player are ready to move on. That’s not necessarily the case for linebacker Patrick Queen — but the numbers may force the conversation.
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Steelers May Not Want to Pay Patrick Queen’s 2026 Cap Hit
As Fox Sports’ Greg Auman predicts, Pittsburgh may hesitate to pay what Queen is scheduled to earn.
“Queen, still only 26, was a top free agent signing two years ago,” Auman wrote. “He made the Pro Bowl his first year in Pittsburgh and had 120 tackles in 2025, but Pro Football Focus had him ranked 79th out of 80 linebackers, so it’s hard to see the Steelers paying him $13 million this season.”
PFF gave Queen an overall grade of 43.5 in 2025 — the second-worst of his career behind his rookie season. His only strong mark came as a pass rusher, where he posted a 70.5 grade, though even that ranked among the lower pass-rush grades of his career.
Queen signed a three-year, $41 million deal with Pittsburgh in 2024 after four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, according to Spotrac.
If released before March 13 with a June 1 designation, the Steelers would save $13.33 million in cap space while absorbing just $3.863 million in dead money.
If he stays, Queen carries a $17.1 million cap hit in 2026 and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
Potential Landing Spots if Steelers Move On
Auman also floated two potential destinations that would make sense if Queen were released.
“Could he land back in Baltimore with Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver, or with John Harbaugh and the Giants?”
Minter was promoted to defensive back’s coach during Queen’s rookie season in 2020, their only time together. Weaver served as Baltimore’s defensive line coach from 2021–2023.
Queen spent four seasons with the Ravens, recording 13.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), 37 tackles for loss and 33 quarterback hits.
In two seasons with Pittsburgh, he’s totaled two sacks, two fumble recoveries, 14 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits.
The connection to John Harbaugh is clear as well, given Harbaugh coached Queen for four years in Baltimore.
The Giants, however, are tight against the cap with just $6.9 million in space. The Ravens are in better shape at roughly $22 million under the cap — though both numbers could change once roster moves begin.
For now, Queen remains under contract. But with the new league year approaching, Pittsburgh has a decision to make — and the financial math may ultimately dictate it.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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