Either the talent at the bottom of the league's best players is watered down or someone is a bit confused because Patrick Queen isn’t quite one of the best 100 players in the NFL, though he was named No. 75 on the NFL's Top 100 players list. He did drop from No. 64 last year. I’m not saying Queen is a terrible player, but several Pittsburgh Steelers fans joked they forgot he was even on the roster.
It’s not like he had a memorable 2024 at that. Per Pro Football Focus, he was graded 58.5, which ranked 125th out of 189 graded linebackers. He does have a really good pass rush grade which is probably carrying his ranking in the NFL’s top 100 list. He’s not the best in coverage or the best in run defense.
That’s something the Steelers would love for him to improve on, especially if T.J. Watt holds out this season. I guess with his ranking ahead of the 2025 season and the fact that he dropped a few spots from last year, Queen has a lot to prove in a season the Steelers need as many weapons as possible.
Patrick Queen has a lot to prove on a team that needs a lot of weapons in 2025
Let's take a look at some of the reactions from those in the Steelers world about the Queen addition to the NFL Top 100 list.
I'm sorry... but this is completely unwarranted. https://t.co/95N93WpSot
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) July 16, 2025
Patrick Queen eight spots higher than Cameron Heyward.
— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) July 16, 2025
Doesn't make a single ounce of sense. https://t.co/OsM9NBDQQr
Patrick Queen at No. 75, and Cam Heyward at No. 83? It’s impossible to take this list seriously. https://t.co/MPEYhomtAo
— Chris Dokish (@ChrisDokish) July 16, 2025
The Steelers defense needs players like Queen if they want to lift the Lombardi Trophy this year. Pittsburgh has put a lot of pressure on Aaron Rodgers and the offense to carry this team. Rodgers was the prized possession the Steelers acquired this offseason and anything less than a playoff run was a waste.
That said, this defense might be the reason this team isn’t as good as they want to be. They’re old, for one, and two, they have been non-committal on Watt. While he hasn’t been at his most elite level as of late, he’s still a player that will be the difference in this team’s success. And without him, that’s more pressure on players like Queen.
Watt’s most destructive trait is that he’s a great pass rusher. Since that seems to be Queen’s strength, if Watt misses the beginning of the year due to a contract holdout, Queen’s ability to impact the game as a middle linebacker just got more important. And with aging vets in the secondary, his role becomes even more important.
Queen might be an afterthought to Steelers fans, but the league seems to think he’s one of the best this upcoming season. That means he has a whole of expectations on him this season and he very well might be the nucleus of this defense, depending on the Watt situation moving forward.