Steelers Must Make Patrick Queen Trade

Of all the Pittsburgh Steelers' potential trade candidates, one stands out above the rest.

Patrick Queen, for all intents and purposes, has been a disappointment throughout his three seasons with the Steelers. His three-year, $41 million contract that he signed with the team ahead of the 2024 campaign has not aged well, and there's been so signs of improvement for the 27-year-old under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham either.

As he plays out the final year of that deal, Queen could find himself on the trade block regardless of if Pittsburgh remains in the hunt for a playoff spot or not ahead of the November 10 trade deadline.

Moving him is the obvious right decision for the Steelers, even if it means rebuilding their inside linebacker room to a certain extent in-season once he's gone.

Sep 20, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defense player Patrick Queen (6) reacts after making an interception during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Queen's Struggles

In 2025, Queen was often a liability in coverage while also leading the NFL in missed tackles with 32 (according to Pro Football Focus), with the next closest player behind him being Devin White at 26.

The hope was that Queen could bounce back and have a strong season in a contract year with a new coaching staff in place, but that simply hasn't been the case up to this point.

A slight positive to take away from his campaign is that his missed tackle rate has dropped down to 12.9 percent from 19.5 percent in 2025 (per SumerSports), though it's not like that's a sparkling mark either.

Queen has also had a few more positives in coverage, such as his red zone interception of Drake Maye against the New England Patriots in Week 2. The consistency in that aspect of his game hasn't followed, however, and his overall body of work also hasn't been impressive.

His run defense has taken a hit too, and that was never more evident then when he was blocked out of the play by rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion on Jaleel McLaughlin's 28-yard rushing touchdown in the Steelers' Week 4 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football.

Aug 13, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen (6) during player introductions against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What Could Pittsburgh Expect in Return for Queen?

Queen has not played at a starting-caliber level for Pittsburgh, and it's shown with how massive the hole is in the middle of the team's defense with how he and Payton Wilson have performed.

Regardless, Queen is a two-time Pro Bowler who's still pretty young and is on an expiring deal while having loads of experience as a big-name player, which is sure to attract some interest from other teams leading up to the trade deadline.

After all, the Dallas Cowboys reportedly discussed a trade for Queen with the Steelers back in March, but those talks ultimately led nowhere.

Is Pittsburgh going to get a haul for Queen if it does decide to move him? No, not even close. His price tag is likely in the range of a sixth-round pick, and perhaps a fifth-rounder is within the realm of possibility.

The greatest return the Steelers could get by trading Queen might just be removing him from their defense, though.

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