New details surrounding Patrick Queen’s situation with the Steelers prove why trade rumors have surfaced in Pittsburgh
There is a reason why Patrick Queen’s name is being floated in trade rumors, and Adam Schefter explained why.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been more interested in adding than subtracting, Omar Khan is never afraid to make a deal. That may be part of the reason why Steelers Pro Bowl LB Patrick Queen has been involved in plenty of trade rumors as of late.
Some up and down play, parlayed with being on the final year of his deal, has led some teams to see what the going rate is on the Steelers’ starting linebacker. There could be another layer to some of the rumors, however, and Adam Schefter went into detail about what’s going on behind the scenes with Queen and the Steelers.
Adam Schefter reveals Patrick Queen’s contract may be a problem in Pittsburgh
“[Patrick] Queen’s (situation) is unusual, because that also continues to float out there,” Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday. “The Pittsburgh Steelers say they’re not interested in moving on from him and this could be maybe a money issue, where he might be looking for more, or maybe they wanted him to take a pay cut that he’s unwilling to take right now. So that’s one we could pay attention to. But it doesn’t sound like it’s pressing at this moment.”
The key date in Patrick Queen’s contract
Deadlines spur action in life, and the NFL is no different. While things may not be pressing right now, there is a chance that within this five-day window, the Queen noise starts to get even louder. Why? March 15.
March 15 is the day that Queen’s 2026 roster bonus kicks in. If Queen is still in Pittsburgh on the 15th, a $2.5 million bonus will trigger, and the Steelers will be left to foot the bill. Now they could always trade or even cut Queen after that date and save $13.3 million against the cap, but doing that after paying the roster bonus doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Should the Steelers trade Patrick Queen?
So the question becomes, should the Steelers actually consider trading a player whom just two years ago they signed to the richest free agent deal in franchise history? Yes and no. Yes if a team comes calling and offers a 4th round pick or better. No, if the conversations start at a 5th.
Say what you want about Queen, but he’s the green dot, been the team’s leading tackler, serves as a vocal leader, and as a run and chase specialist. You’re not going to be able to just replace him at this point in free agency, and asking a rookie to step in year one is a tall task.
So Queen may be expendable, but it needs to be for the right price.
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