Patrick Queen
LB · PIT

Patrick Queen

Position LB
Team PIT
Bye Week —
PPR Rank —

Patrick Queen

NFL player. Position: LB. Team: PIT.

Quick Facts

  • Position: LB (Outside Linebacker)
  • Team: PIT (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • Draft: 1st round, 2021 NFL Draft (Baltimore Ravens)
  • College: LSU

2026 Outlook

Queen has been a polarizing Steelers defender, but the problem may be role misalignment rather than player talent. In 2025, Queen posted a 43.5 PFF overall grade (79th of 88 qualified LBs) with a disastrous 32.4 coverage grade (4th worst). He logged a 21% missed tackle rate and allowed a 115.5 passer rating when targeted—both among league's worst. However, his 70.5 pass-rush grade ranked 9th among linebackers, generating 17 pressures, 1 sack, and 8 TFLs as a downhill disruptor. The Steelers spent 2025 asking Queen to function as an every-down linebacker responsible for coverage assignments and sideline-to-sideline communication—the exact areas exposing his weaknesses. New DC Patrick Graham plans to redeploy Queen as a specialized weapon rather than a "do-it-all" linebacker. With Jalen Ramsey and free-agent Jaquan Brisker capable of primary coverage responsibilities and Payton Wilson better suited for sideline-to-sideline work, Graham can build packages emphasizing Queen's natural game: aggressive blitzing, gap-shooting, run disruption, and downfield disruptive plays rather than coverage. If utilized in nickel-heavy schemes with more A-gap blitzes and simulated pressures, Queen's natural quickness and burst could return him to Plus territory defensively. (per Patrick Queen's Usage in 2026 Is Key to Steelers Defensive Ceiling - Steel Curtain Network)

Role / Depth Chart

Outside linebacker in 3-4 defense. Expected to transition from every-down coverage liability to specialized pass-rusher/blitzer role under new DC Patrick Graham.

Injury Status

Healthy heading into 2026.

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