There are a lot of positions the Pittsburgh Steelers need to figure out this offseason. A surprising one that’s come up recently is inside linebacker with Patrick Queen’s name popping up in trade rumors in trade rumors this week.
Queen hasn’t been perfect in his two years in Pittsburgh, and with a new staff there’s a possibility the Steelers might include him in their roster shuffling. But to Steelers insider Gerry Dulac, it’s not something fans should expect to happen.
“I don’t think they should bite on any of those offers. I don’t quite get the fans’ discontent with Queen. It is not shared by the Steelers. Plus, teams get offers all the time. The Steelers got them last year about T.J. Watt,” Dulac wrote Wednesday in his chat with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Here’s what I make of ’em – they’re rumors.”
Since joining Pittsburgh, Queen has been about as reliable as the Steelers could ask when it comes to staying on the field. He played every snap in his first year in 2024 and followed that up with a 96-percent snap share in 2025. If the Steelers are going to replace that workload they’d need a return that makes sense. And a mid-round pick might not be enough to compel Pittsburgh move Queen.
However, there are some reasons that trading Patrick Queen might work. While he has consistently been on the field, his play has been anything but. There have been some good moments, and Queen did have some excellent performances toward the end of the 2025 season.
However, he has struggled against the pass. In 2025, he allowed a 69.0-percent completion rate when targeted and a 100.4 passer rating. And both were an improvement over 2024. And while he made 120 tackles last season, he struggled coming downhill and filling gaps. Queen also missed tackles at a significant rate.
However, the Steelers would still need to replace that workload if they traded Queen.
Payton Wilson has shown promise, but he’s still got more development ahead before the Steelers would feel comfortable giving him the green dot. And while this draft has talent at linebacker, it’s a big ask for a rookie to assume that kind of workload. Cole Holcomb could take some of those snaps, but he probably won’t be a major factor either.
Fans do have their right to feel a little disappointed by Patrick Queen’s first two years in Pittsburgh. But trading him isn’t even on the Steelers’ radar, according to Dulac. And there is some logic behind that.