The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of eyes on them as the 2026 offseason unfolds, and one of the biggest questions surrounding the team is whether Patrick Queen or any other notable players could be on the move. With the 2026 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, speculation is only heating up about what the front office plans to do, both when they are on the clock and in potential trade scenarios.
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Steelers GM Omar Khan on the phone.
There is a growing belief around the league that teams are placing extra value on Day 2 and Day 3 draft capital this year, and that is exactly where Pittsburgh holds a clear advantage. The Steelers currently have an abundance of picks, including five selections inside the top 100. That kind of flexibility gives General Manager Omar Khan and Head Coach Mike McCarthy a real opportunity to reshape the roster over the course of a few days. If they hit on the right prospects, this could be a defining draft that helps launch the franchise into its next era.
Of course, roster construction is not just about adding talent. It is also about evaluating what is already in place, and that brings the conversation back to Queen. When the Steelers signed him to a three-year, $41 million deal ahead of the 2024 season, the fan base was fired up. The expectation was that he would bring the same level of play he showed with the Baltimore Ravens and elevate it even further as he entered his prime in Pittsburgh.
That has not exactly played out in a way that satisfies everyone. Queen has not been a bad player by any means, but his two seasons in Pittsburgh have been polarizing. Part of that comes down to the nature of his position. Inside linebacker is one of the harder spots on the field to fully evaluate, especially for fans. If Queen is not making splash plays like sacks or interceptions, it can be easy to overlook the subtler parts of his game, such as communication, alignment, and run fits. Those are the details that often matter most, even if they do not show up in the box score.
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Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen (6) and edge rusher TJ Watt (90) walk on the field as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Because of that, the debate around what the Steelers should do with Queen has been constant. At just 26 years old, he is still right in the middle of his prime, and there is real intrigue about how he could look in a new system under Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham. Many expected that pairing to unlock another level in his game, which makes the idea of moving on from him a complicated one.
Recently, the Steelers got some clarity on how the rest of the league currently views Queen. According to sources that told Steeler Nation, the Atlanta Falcons, led by General Manager Ian Cunningham, reached out to Pittsburgh to explore a potential trade. However, those talks did not gain much traction. That lack of momentum suggests the market for Queen may not be as strong as the Steelers would like it to be right now.
If that is the case, it helps explain why a deal has not materialized. Pittsburgh is unlikely to move a player of Queen’s caliber unless the return matches how they value him internally. If other teams are hesitant to meet that price, the Steelers may simply choose to hold onto him and see how he performs in 2026.
Steelers Can Save Almost $11 Million
There is, however, a financial angle to all of this. Trading Queen would save the Steelers close to $11 million against the cap for the upcoming season. That kind of flexibility can be appealing, especially for a team looking to retool its roster. Still, many around the league question whether that savings is worth losing the quarterback of the defense.
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Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen (6) walks on the field as the team goes through a workout during a 2025 training camp Friday Night Lights practice in Latrobe, PA.
In the end, the Steelers are in an interesting spot. They have the draft capital to reshape their roster, but they also have key decisions to make about the talent already in the building. For now, Queen remains a central figure in those discussions, and unless another team steps up with a stronger offer, it feels more likely that Pittsburgh will keep him and bet on his impact moving forward.
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