The Steelers’ most notable defensive addition this offseason was the signing of linebacker Patrick Queen. The former Raven made an intra-divisional move on a deal which includes no money guaranteed beyond its first year.
Queen signed for $41M on a three-year pact which includes $13.84M fully guaranteed for 2024. After that, though, the deal includes roster bonuses which will allow the Steelers to proceed on a year-to-year basis.
Considering Queen’s age (24) and production, it came as a surprise he agreed to a contract with such a structure. When explaining his free agent decision, he confirmed he left money on the table.
“From all the 15 teams that I was talking to, it came down to like five at the end,” the former first-rounder said during an appearance on Steelers DB. “It was just like five teams in the mix. Some of them were offering $17 (million per year). After that it was like, I have a chance to either go win or I have a chance to get paid. For me, the difference was like $4 or $5 million.
“I’m looking at it like, I’ve never been on a losing team before, and then I also don’t want to be a part of anything being rebuilt because I’m trying to win now … I’m really just trying to win right now, get that out the way and then get paid later.”
Queen’s deal checks in at an AAV of $13.67M, the fifth-highest figure in the league amongst inside linebackers. Roquan Smith‘s Ravens extension, signed shortly after he was acquired via trade, continues to top the market at $20M per season.
The fact Baltimore already had Smith on the books was one of the signs indicating Queen would be playing elsewhere in 2024. Indeed, a report from last month indicated the Ravens did not attempt to re-sign the LSU product this offseason.
That will certainly add a new layer of intrigue to the Ravens-Steelers rivalry for at least one more season. Queen posted a career-high 133 tackles in 2023, adding 3.5 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery.
Those figures earned him a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors, and he will aim to build off that acclaim as a central figure on Pittsburgh’s defense. If player and team have success, the below-market agreement will prove to be a worthwhile commitment on both sides.
