Steelers Fans Should Be Ecstatic With The Addition Of Linebacker Patrick Queen: 'This Dude Plays The Game Physical And Fast'

The Pittsburgh Steelers addition of former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen has been heralded as one of the top free-agent moves by any franchise in the 2024 offseason. Fresh off of his first Pro Bowl season, Pittsburgh is hoping that Queen can help stabilize the inside linebacker position that has been in flux since Ryan Shazier suffered his tragic career-ending injury in 2017. The team got solid play from Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts in 2023 before the injuries decimated the unit. Former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats looked at some of Queen's game film to give fans an understanding of what the former LSU standout brings.

Moats had an eight-year NFL career split evenly between the Buffalo Bills and the Steelers. He now hosts the popular podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience with Deke, and works for the team on the content creation side. He recently sat down and dove into some of Queen's play from the 2023 AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Before getting into the breakdowns of specific clips, Moats gave a general overview of what Pittsburgh is getting in the 28th overall pick from the 2020 draft. 

"This dude can play downhill versus the run, athletic in coverage," he said. "More importantly, the mindset. This dude plays the game physically and fast. That's what we need and that's what we're going to love about Patrick Queen."  

Queen racked up 133 tackles with nine for a loss in the 2023 season. He added three and a half sacks, a forced fumble, and six passes defended. Moats highlighted the linebacker's different abilities during his breakdown but his smarts against the run stood out.

Moats analyzed a video and said Queen does a good job of seeing the guard on the left side pulling into the middle and running to fill the hole where Chiefs running back was Isiah Pacheco triying to go. Moats noted that Queen didn't fully explode into the hole to stop Pacheco. He hesitated for a second to ensure he picked off the running back in the right spot. He then gets a good body position on the Chiefs lineman and explodes off to make the stop. Moats also liked that Queen quickly at the end of the play went to back up one of his teammates who was still engaged with another lineman after the play ended. 

"You see that a lot man," he said of Queen going to stick up for a teammate. "He will not let his guys be fighting one-on-one and I love to see that because it's a mentality."

Moats said that it's clear that Queen has a good understanding of his role in the play, but also understands where his teammates are and what their jobs are. That knowledge of where to be allows him to stop the running back before he can even really get started. 

Steelers' Queen Also Displays Smarts In Passing Game

Moats spent a good deal of time in the video focusing on how Queen uses his smarts in the run game but found one play during the AFC Championship that highlighted his football IQ in the passing game. Statistically, there's a real show of progression in how Queen has become a much better linebacker in coverage. In the 2023 season, he allowed a career-low 388 yards on 52 completions. 

Moats showed a few plays of Queen in coverage, but one in particular stood out. The Chiefs run a play-action pass and after initially looking a little fooled by the run fake, Queen gets out to make a play. Patrick Mahomes makes a throw to Travis Kelce on the outside and Queen puts himself in a position where Kelce can't run it upfield without getting stopped. 

The tight end realizes that and waits for a blocker to take Queen. The only problem for Kelce is that Queen chooses to eliminate the blocker and allows his partner Roquan Smith to finish the play. Moats thinks that the tape matches the production for the 24-year-old who he thinks will meet the high expectations set out for him. 

Do you agree with Moats's breakdown of Queen?