Patrick Queen has done plenty lately to make the Steelers think twice about even entertaining trade chatter.
He’s been on the field for nearly everything Pittsburgh’s defense has run this season, logging all but one of the team’s more than 500 defensive snaps. And in the win over Cleveland, he left a clear imprint with 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. That kind of outing only adds to the case that he’s becoming one of the most important pieces in Patrick Graham’s defense.
Still, the rumors are there. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Queen has a 20% chance of being traded before the Nov. 10 NFL Trade deadline, and he also reported that the Dallas Cowboys checked on Queen’s availability in the spring.
That interest makes sense. Last season, Queen finished second among Pittsburgh defenders with 120 total tackles and added eight tackles for loss, though pass coverage remained his biggest issue. He allowed 8.9 yards per target and posted a 114.9 passer rating when targeted.
The financial side of this gets complicated fast. Queen signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the front office in 2024, and he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March 2027. So Omar Khan has a real decision to make: move him for draft capital, or keep building around him.
Right now, the case for keeping him looks stronger by the week.
Over the last three games, Queen has piled up 25 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass deflections. Among linebackers in that span, Fred Warner has 22 tackles and Roquan Smith has 24, but neither has added sacks. That production matters when you start talking about what Queen should command on his next contract.
Warner and Smith both make at least $20 million per year, while Azeez Al-Shaair (HOU) and Zach Baun (PHI) sit in the next tier at $17 million or more annually. Queen’s recent stretch has put him in that conversation.
So while trade speculation lingers, Pittsburgh has every reason to hold firm. Queen has become more than a steady presence in the middle of the defense. He’s playing like someone the Steelers should be trying to keep, not shop.
If this level of production continues, the debate may shift from whether Queen deserves another deal to how much Pittsburgh is willing to pay to keep him.
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ESPNs Jeremy Fowler floated Rudolph as a possible trade candidate in that context, though the broader read is that Pittsburgh is not expected to be active in that way. For now, it reads more like a league-wide what-if than a real sign the Steelers are preparing to deal from a position of strength, with any movement depending on how the quarterback market shifts elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
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Pierre has settled in quickly in Minnesota and the coverage numbers have backed up the eye test, with a strong showing that has him sitting 12th among NFL cornerbacks. For the Steelers, the frustration is less about one bad decision than the combination of performance and cost, since Pierres contract was the kind of deal Pittsburgh could have kept in play. Instead, the front office is left watching a player it knew well thrive elsewhere while the question of whether he should have stayed in black and gold lingers a little longer each week. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Win Over Browns Just Sparked A New Rivalry Flashpoint
A routine extra-point sequence turned into one of the sharper postgame talking points from Pittsburgh's Week 8 win over Cleveland, when guard Mason McCormick drew an unnecessary roughness penalty after a hit on Browns defensive end Jared Verse. The play added another layer to a rivalry that rarely needs much help finding emotion, and it quickly drew attention well beyond the field as former Browns safety T.J. Ward weighed in on the hit.
McCormick said afterward that he did not know it was Verse on the other end of the collision and was simply following coaching instructions, while Verse made clear he was upset about the incident. Verse also said he had already discussed the situation with his Browns teammates, leaving the episode as one more flashpoint in a matchup that seems to keep finding new edges every time these teams meet. [Read more 🡒]