More Details Revealed About Steelers' Trade Plans For LB Patrick Queen

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan had a clear goal of targeting positions of need once the NFL's legal tampering period began. Trading for, and extending, Michael Pittman Jr., while also inking cornerback Jamel Dean to a contract should be viewed as two of the better early-offseason moves for the organization in some time. The roster will continue to be adjusted as the team prepares for a 2026 NFL Draft — in which it will have a total of 12 total selections, barring any potential trades. One name to keep an eye on has been linebacker Patrick Queen.

Queen is preparing to enter the third year of a contract that he signed with the Steelers back in the 2024 offseason. He has worn the green dot for the defense, but inconsistencies have led to some backlash over the course of his tenure. As the league's new year was on the horizon, reports suggested that Pittsburgh was in talks with the Dallas Cowboys to possibly deal the inside linebacker.

One of the issues with the idea of moving on from Queen is that there would be a very big hole in that area of the depth chart. There isn't necessarily a better option to be the defensive signal-caller at the moment. That's why Mark Kaboly is not even remotely sold on the fact that Khan is entertaining the idea of moving Queen, as he noted on Wednesday evening during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan.

"If they do [trade Queen], they better have a plan," Kaboly said. I don't know why they would want to do that. I could see if they had a plethora of inside linebackers to choose from."

The prospects coming out of college at the position are expected to be relatively stout, but it probably makes sense for a rookie to get the opportunity to learn the speed of the NFL prior to being one of the most pivotal players on defense. The free agency pool is also light, making it unlikely that Queen finds himself playing anywhere else in 2026 other than the Steel City, according to Kaboly.

"Unless they have a trade ready or something else in mind, it doesn't make much sense to me at all and I don't think he would go anywhere. I don't think they're interested," Kaboly stated. "I don't think that's the case whatsoever."

There's always the possibility that trade rumors emerged because Queen was hoping to land a new contract. It's also not out of the question that the Steelers wanted him to take a pay cut, leading to speculation about his availability. Overall, Kaboly hit the nail on the head. There are not many options out there. With a new coaching staff, it probably is worth it to keep some continuity on that side of the ball.

The last time the Steelers picked an inside linebacker in the first round, the organization traded up to select Devin Bush. It didn't pan out how the franchise wanted, and now there could be some reservations about taking that same approach in 2026. 

Pittsburgh has plenty of draft selections to be aggressive, which is why the logical thing to do is allowing Queen to play out the final year of his current three-year deal, and then assess the situation come the 2027 offseason.

Steelers Don't Have Known Plan If Queen Were To Be Traded

Kaboly was spot on when referencing the fact that Pittsburgh would have limited options if Queen was indeed dealt. The haul in return for the defender would have to be a surprise and rather significant for it to even make sense. He has experience playing in the Steel City, seems to be well liked by his teammates, and is a veteran whose prowess goes a long way in helping to solidify the unit's identity. It appears as if he isn't going to be on his way out after all.

#SteelerNation