Tim Benz: A 6-pack of reasons to love the Steelers' signing of Patrick Queen

I certainly thought that there was a lot to like about Patrick Queen when he entered the league in 2020. There is still a lot to like now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly signed him away from the Baltimore Ravens four seasons later.

Yes, even though the Steelers had to pay $41 million to do it.

In fact, here’s a six-pack of reasons to applaud the move.

1. Queen is on the rise

I was a huge fan of Queen coming out of LSU. I wanted him in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers didn’t have a first-round pick that year. He was still on the board at No. 18 when the Dolphins used Pittsburgh’s pick from the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade. Eventually, Queen went at No. 28 to the Ravens.

I thought Queen would be a perfect 3-4 inside linebacker who could run, hit, cover and eventually get strong enough to stop the run. He developed slower than expected and had his fifth-year option declined by Baltimore.

But over the past year and a half, the 24-year-old blossomed when playing alongside Roquan Smith after Chicago traded Smith to Baltimore. In 2023, Queen recorded a career-high 133 tackles (nine for a loss). He also added 3.5 sacks and one interception en route to his first Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro mention.

His blitzing ability should come in handy as the Steelers desperately attempt to create more ways to get after the passer than just relying on T.J. Watt to beat double teams all day.

Patrick Queen led all linebackers with 20 quick pressures last season despite blitzing at just the 23rd-highest rate among LB (min. 500 snaps).

Queen also generated a 25.5% pressure rate in 2023, 6th-highest among linebackers (min. 50 pass rushes).#HereWeGo https://t.co/YNVv2tvrdz pic.twitter.com/QltCYC2qET

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 12, 2024

No doubt, Queen was a “Robin” in Baltimore. He may not be Batman here, either, as Smith is in Maryland. But he’s the best free agent attempt yet to replace Ryan Shazier.

That’s a quest the Steelers have been searching to complete since 2017.

2. They’ve tried everything else at ILB

Queen was believed by many to be the best free-agent player available at inside linebacker. Every other method besides chasing that kind of guy in free agency has been tried by the Steelers at that position since Shazier’s spine injury.

They traded up in the draft (Devin Bush). They tried journeymen bargain guys (Mark Barron/Jon Bostic). They tried mid-range cap cuts and trades (Myles Jack/Joe Schobert).

They threw numbers at the position in multiple-package/specialized roles with all three guys they signed last year (Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander). They tried hybrid safety types over the years (Keanu Neal/Terrell Edmunds).

Every other attempt has failed. Go for the best guy on the board. Now, general manager Omar Khan is paying big for what has become a white whale position for the Steelers.

They passed on some bigger names last year, such as T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. Time to swing for the UFA fences.

3. It’s a cheaper contract than expected

Speaking of lessons learned from last year, many of the off-ball linebackers (aside from Edmunds) who re-signed contracts or moved to new cities didn’t get as much money as originally projected.

As a result, the Steelers wound up with those three mid-range guys (Holcomb, Alexander and Roberts) to play two positions at affordable prices.

But in the case of Alexander and Holcomb, they were, in part, affordable because injury issues were a concern for both men. Neither made it past Week 10. Both still have a long road to recovery ahead.

Queen was actually expected to go for even more money than he got. Some projections were as high as $18 million per season. Perhaps feeling the market, the Steelers pounced this year and got him for $13.66 million per season.

However, Queen is still the most expensive outside free agent ever signed by the Steelers.

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4. Queen once called out Mike Tomlin

As you may remember, before last year’s first Ravens-Steelers game in October, Queen called Mike Tomlin “disrespectful.”

According to Queen, Tomlin said, “You’re not a Raven. You’re not supposed to be there. You’re not one of them.”

That angered Queen.

“I don’t care if he was joking,” Queen said. “I don’t care if he was serious. At the end of the day, I’m on your sideline and you’re telling me I’m not a Raven. That’s kind of disrespectful.”

"You join this organization and they talk about this game and it's the game that defines you, makes you a Raven." @Patrickqueen_ pic.twitter.com/WCZwf6eY5O

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 4, 2023

What? Someone outside of Pittsburgh who is actually willing to criticize Tomlin? It’s like seeing a leprechaun ride a unicorn.

Of course, I’m going to be on board with this guy.

5. How they did it

At least Khan used the money saved by going cheap at quarterback with Russell Wilson on an immediate need. After a bunch of centers got snapped up quickly in advance of free agency, I was getting nervous about that.

I’m sure Pittsburgh’s suddenly minted, quickly expanding legion of Russ zealots will immediately say, “See! They couldn’t have signed Queen if they outbid Atlanta for Kirk Cousins.”

Maybe. Then again, they could’ve traded Diontae Johnson somewhere for picks instead of the player they got in return from Carolina (Donte Jackson). They could’ve cut or restructured one or two of the veteran defensive linemen.

They could’ve figured it out like every team does every year. Like the Steelers themselves always did when they had Ben Roethlisberger’s contract on the books and still managed to retain just about any free agent they wanted for the better part of 18 years.

6. Rivalry ratcheted up

Best of all, this is a poke in the eyes of the Ravens. And that’s always fun.

via GIPHY