The Pittsburgh Steelers have won two straight games, but another expensive defensive starter is now being floated as a potential trade candidate before the NFL’s Nov. 10 deadline.
Linebacker Patrick Queen is in the final year of the $41 million contract he signed after leaving the Baltimore Ravens. While he remains a regular part of Pittsburgh’s defense, a new proposal suggests the Steelers could move him to a contender needing help at linebacker.
And an old face returning to Pittsburgh is part of the reasoning.
Patrick Queen Named Steelers Trade Candidate by FOX Sports
FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano picked Queen as the Steelers’ top trade candidate in an Oct. 21 feature identifying one player from each NFL team who might be moved before the deadline.
Vacchiano argued that Queen’s production hasn’t fully matched Pittsburgh’s expectations, while his expiring deal could appeal to another team looking for immediate defensive help.
“Queen’s only 27 and still a tackling machine, but he’s never quite had the impact the Steelers expected when they signed him to a three-year, $41 million deal. Now in the last year of that contract, he makes perfect sense as a rental for a team that needs defensive help down the stretch. It could be tough to sell anyone for a team trying to make one last playoff run for retiring QB Aaron Rodgers. But the Steelers also just brought back veteran ILB Elandon Roberts, who is 32. and could be a short-term fill-in if Queen is dealt,” Vacchiano wrote.
A second-team All-Pro with Baltimore in 2023, Queen made the Pro Bowl with Pittsburgh in 2024 and topped 100 tackles again last year. Through six games in 2026, he has recorded 38 tackles and an interception, with no sacks.
The Steelers are 4-2 after rallying for a 26-19 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pittsburgh wants a playoff run with Rodgers, 42, making a trade involving a starting defender difficult.
Elandon Roberts’ Return Adds to Patrick Queen Trade Talk
The Roberts move is real. Pittsburgh signed the veteran linebacker to its practice squad on Oct. 12, bringing him back after he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the franchise.
Roberts appeared in 33 games during that earlier stint, starting 29 and recording 147 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, starting 16 games and finishing with 90 tackles.
He worked under current Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in Las Vegas. But Roberts is on the practice squad, not the active roster, and the team hasn’t indicated that his return was made with a Queen trade in mind.
Queen’s future was already being discussed during the offseason. In May, the linebacker acknowledged that he and the Steelers had discussed a possible extension without making significant progress. He also addressed speculation surrounding his name in trade rumors.
Pittsburgh has since seen running back Rico Dowdle emerge as another trade candidate, despite his productive Week 6 return. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph has also drawn trade suggestions.
Moving Queen would create a much bigger change to the starting defense. Payton Wilson has already been playing alongside him, while Cole Holcomb offers additional experience at inside linebacker.
Queen carries a salary cap charge of roughly $17.2 million this season and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. If Pittsburgh wants to keep him beyond this season, the club would need to work out a new deal or consider another option before he reaches the open market.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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