The Pittsburgh Steelers are shopping veteran linebacker Patrick Queen, with the Dallas Cowboys emerging as a potential fit. Dallas has a glaring need at the linebacker position, and missed out on several of the top free agents available. While this draft class is full of talented linebackers like Sonny Styles, there's no guarantee those players fall to Dallas. Rather, the Cowboys can take matters into their own hands, adding a veteran like Queen for an affordable asking price.
Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Dallas Cowboys face a critical need at linebacker after missing out on top free agents this offseason.
- Reports suggest a veteran starter could be acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a reasonable mid-round pick.
- This move could immediately bolster Dallas' defense, though questions remain about the veteran's fit in new DC Christian Parker's system.
The challenge that comes with Queen is his at-times inconsistent play. Queen benefitted from playing next to Roquan Smith with the Baltimore Ravens, and signed a loaded free agent contract as a result. He hasn't been bad in Pittsburgh, but also hasn't lived up to the three-year, $41 million deal they signed him to.
What a Cowboys trade for Patrick Queen would look like
Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported in the Cowboys interested for Queen, and suggested the Steelers asking price is a mid-round pick. However, with the number of teams involved on Queen (which includes the Eagles), the Cowboys will have to pay up.
"Cowboys have been largely wiped out at LB. Been a tough day there in Dallas, no other way to put it.I’m keeping an eye on Patrick Queen at the moment," Harris wrote. "A handful of teams have called Pittsburgh about a trade here (including the Eagles). Dallas has kept a hand in that mix for this exact scenario, but there are still some things to work through and conversations behind the scenes to be had there."
Harris wrote the Steelers want a fourth rounder, while interested parties prefer to give up a fifth rounder. Pittsburgh already has a double-digit amount of draft picks this cycle. Thus, an easy way to break the tie is to send the Steelers a fifth-round selection in 2027, when they'll likely be pursuing a quarterback of the future.
Would the Steelers make this trade?
The Steelers have interest in the 2026 linebacker class, and it's tough to blame them. While they also won't be drafting high enough to take Styles – who our Cody Williams has mocked in the top-5 – trading Queen would give Pittsburgh even more draft capital to replace him. Meanwhile, Payton Wilson has already been trained to use the Green Dot, and the Steelers re-signed Cole Holcomb on Monday.
Queen can be a wrecking ball at times, especially against the run. However, his inability to stick with running backs or tight ends against the pass makes him a detriment to the Steelers style of defense, even as it changes under Patrick Graham. Heck, there's little chance Pittsburgh would trade Queen, or shop him in general, without taking Graham's opinion into account.
Wilson is a far better coverage linebacker, and has leadership skills. That makes Queen expendable, and gives the Steelers an opportunity to take advantage of a loaded linebacker class. If they were to acquire the Cowboys 2027 fifth-round pick, it could come in handy next season if the Steelers are forced to trade up for their next quarterback.
Would the Cowboys make this trade?
The Cowboys were interested in Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Devin Lloyd at the start of NFL free agency. They whiffed on all three. Queen has only one year left on his contract, and it comes with a cap hit over $17 million. That's why his price tag (as it pertains to draft picks) is this cheap.
If I ran the Cowboys (which I don't) trading for Queen wouldn't have been my first choice. Heck, it wouldn't b my fourth choice. But, if Dallas can land a veteran in Queen and use an early-round pick on a linebacker, then that position will look a lot better in 2026 and beyond.
Per PFF, Queen was one of the worst starting linebackers in the NFL last season. It's why the Steelers are trying to get rid of him. Queen ranked 83rd out of 88 linebackers with a 31.3 coverage grade and 64th with a 58.4 run-defense grade. It's not great! However, some of that could've been Teryl Austin's system, which forced Queen into situations no linebacker would thrive in. The Steelers secondary – and defense as a whole – was a mess despite some of the high-profile names on the roster.
A fifth-round pick isn't going to hurt the Cowboys in the long run. But new defensive coordinator Christian Parker better be positive he can revive Queen's career before signing up for disaster.