When the Pittsburgh Steelers poached Patrick Queen from the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, they expected an All-Pro linebacker capable of transforming their defense into one of the NFL’s elite.

They didn’t just pay for Queen’s playmaking ability—they shelled out $41 million over three years for what they thought was a defensive cornerstone. As the 2024 season closes, it’s fair to wonder if the Steelers would like a refund.

Queen, once the supposed prize of the Ravens’ defense, hasn’t come close to replicating the success he had in Baltimore. Instead, he’s been a key cog in what’s become a dysfunctional, underperforming Steelers defense. Three straight losses, 90 points surrendered, and a cascade of communication breakdowns have exposed a glaring flaw: the Steelers may have overestimated what Queen brings to the table—and what their defense could be with him in charge.

Baltimore’s decision to let Queen walk wasn’t easy, but it looks smarter by the week. The Ravens prioritized other players, and Queen bolted for Pittsburgh. Instead of thriving in a new environment, Queen has struggled to make the impact the Steelers paid for, leading to frustration both on the field and in the locker room.

Ravens dodged a bullet by not re-signing Patrick Queen

Queen has a respectable 124 tackles this season (62 solo), but he’s been almost invisible when it comes to splashy plays. One forced fumble, zero interceptions, and a handful of pass breakups aren’t exactly the stat line of a game-changing linebacker.

Queen’s responsibility as the “green dot” player—tasked with relaying defensive calls and ensuring the unit is aligned—has been an outright disaster. His pass coverage has been terrible as well, posting a 53.8 coverage grade (117th/183 LBs), according to Pro Football Focus.

Steelers insiders have pointed out Queen’s communication issues are at the heart of the defense’s recent collapse. Players are visibly scrambling to get into position as the ball is snapped, resulting in blown coverages and easy completions for opposing offenses.

Even Queen himself has acknowledged the problem, while calling out fellow teammates and the coaching staff: “We keep talking about it. Nobody is doing a thing about it,” he said after Pittsburgh’s Week 16 meltdown against Kansas City. It’s not necessarily screaming “great locker room add.”

To be fair, Queen isn’t the sole reason Pittsburgh’s defense has fallen apart. But as the $41 million man and the supposed quarterback of the defense, he’s certainly bearing the brunt of the criticism—and deservedly so.

The irony is Queen was never a sure thing in Baltimore. While he flashed brilliance at times, his play wasn’t always consistent, and his running mate bailed him out frequently. Roquan Smith covered up a lot of Queen’s deficiencies. Baltimore’s front office gambled Queen’s price tag wouldn’t match his production, and they were right.

Social media has not let Queen off the hook:

Yikes:

The comments on this one are gold:

The Ravens saw Patrick Queen the way they see a good pair of boots—made for walkin’:

For those still feeling the holiday spirit:

The Patrick Queen experiment is far from over.

But in Year 1 with the Steelers, it’s already looking like a cautionary tale about overpaying for splashy offseason moves. Flock Nation, meanwhile, can’t help but smile as they watch their former linebacker struggle in the black and gold.

Some gambles pay off—this horrifically expensive one, clearly, hasn’t.