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One NFL executive shared his take on Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, and it mirrors what a lot of Steelers fans have long thought about Queen since his record signing with Pittsburgh back in 2024.
Patrick Queen didnt crack ESPNs top 10 inside linebackers list as voted on by NFL personnel, landing instead on the honorable mention.
But the quote attached to his name from an AFC personnel evaluator tells you everything you need to know about the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker heading into a crucial 2026 season.
He is very good when he turns it on and uses his speed and strength, but his play is too inconsistent for my taste, the evaluator told ESPNs Jeremy Fowler.
That assessment, blunt as it is, captures the full Patrick Queen experience in Pittsburgh.
The flashes of dominance mixed with stretches of inconsistency.
The tantalizing athleticism is paired with lapses that leave coaches and evaluators wanting more.
It also likely explains why Queen acknowledged this offseason that the two sides havent had meaningful discussions about his future beyond this season.
Queen is entering a contract year with the Steelers, and it sounds like both sides recognize the possibility of a mutual parting of ways unless something changes.
The truth is, change in this case means consistency.
Queen has been fantastic at times for Pittsburgh.
He has also struggled at times.
That volatility is exactly what the AFC evaluator zeroed in on, and its the gap between honorable mention and top 10.
But heres the thing.
Queen is still firmly entrenched in the middle of his prime, entering his late 20s with plenty of football ahead of him.
The last time he played in a contract year, things worked out rather well.
That 2023 season with the Baltimore Ravens propelled him to the largest free agent deal in Steelers history just one year later.
The precedent exists.
Queen has proven he can elevate his game when the stakes demand it.
The question is whether he can sustain that level of play across a full season rather than delivering it in bursts.
Theres a lot to like about Queens game.
The speed, the strength, the ability to impact all three levels of the defense when hes locked in.
At this stage of his career, though, you dont want to be saying a player still needs to put it all together.
Thats a conversation reserved for second- and third-year players, not a veteran entering his late 20s on his second NFL contract.
That said, actions and deadlines create consequences and opportunities in equal measure.
The 2026 season is going to be exactly that for Queen.
If he plays at a high level, Pittsburgh will have a difficult decision to make about bringing him back.
If he delivers another inconsistent campaign, the Steelers could move on and redirect those resources elsewhere.
The AFC evaluators assessment stings, but its fair.
Queen has the talent to be a top-10 inside linebacker in the NFL.
Whether he has the consistency to match is the only question that matters this fall.
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