Steelers get a big warning on the signing of Patrick Queen

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed to find another linebacker with 2023 free-agent signing Cole Holcomb's status still uncertain for the start of the 2024 season. He suffered a season-ending injury in Week 9 last year. General manager Omar Khan stepped up to the plate and signed former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen to fill the spot. The LSU product made the AP All-Pro second-team in 2023 and was touted as one of the top linebackers available in free agency. There's a lot to like about the move for the team, but 93.7 The Fan's Chris Mueller cautioned it might not be a total home run.    

Queen was selected by the Ravens with the 28th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons, he collected three forced fumbles, returned a fumble for a touchdown and had five sacks. He finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2020. Mueller argued that he didn't see Queen as an outstanding player in those two seasons. 

"You look at the first two years and you do not see an impressive player, you see a guy who was really struggling to find himself," Mueller explained. "Then I think you see an obvious change here, Roquan Smith comes over in a blockbuster." 

Mueller said to be fair to Queen, inside linebacker is a tough position in the NFL where players are asked to do a lot. It would stand to reason to see improvement in years three and four for a player who is adjusting to the league and their responsibilities. He added, though, that Queen has been a different player when paired with Roquan Smith than he has been without him. In two seasons with Smith, Queen has 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and 18 tackles for a loss.

He compared the situation to one that might resonate with Steelers fans. Pittsburgh selected outside linebacker Bud Dupree with the 22nd overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. Dupree was solid, but not spectacular, in his first couple of seasons in the league. He had back-to-back seasons with four sacks in his first two seasons and only played in seven games in his second season due to a groin injury. He broke out for 11.5 sacks in 2019, two seasons after the arrival of TJ Watt. 

Mueller said the circumstances here with Watt and Dupree remind him very much of those with Smith and Queen. He said Smith is the second-best off-ball linebacker in the league behind San Francisco 49ers ace Fred Warner. Watt earned his first AP first-team All-Pro nomination in 2019 and began emerging as one of the league's premier pass-rushers.  

 "Dupree, he didn't produce until he had TJ beside him," he said. "Then once someone was cast as Batman, he looked like a pretty good Robin. With Queen, I will not be able to shake the fact that while he might be a solid player, is at least in part a creation of a terrific player or a significantly better player standing next to him. News flash, the Steelers as part of the deal do not also get to bring Smith."  

The Steelers don't have a Smith-type player on the roster. They do have Elandon Roberts, who played very well for the team as their inside linebackers dropped like flies in the 2023 season. Holcomb was having a solid season with 54 tackles and two forced fumbles in seven games before the injury. Pittsburgh might be asking Queen to be their Batman at least at the start of the season. 

Steelers' Queen gives Pittsburgh an important upgrade at a key weakness

Steeler Nation has been complaining for years about the team matching up linebackers on tight ends or slot receivers, only to watch it fail miserably time and time again. Queen should be a big help in that regard. 

At the start of the show, the station played sound from Mike Tomlin's Week 18 presser where he praised the duo of Smith and Queen for their abilities to be on the field in all situations. Mueller added that he also sees Queen as a player who can run with and mirror tight ends. That will be a huge addition for the Steelers defense in 2024. 

Do you agree with Mueller that there needs to be some skepticism of the deal due to Queen's jump in production with Smith?