Dealing with Inexperienced Dot ‘Approach Extra Easy Now’ For Steelers LB Patrick Queen

Enjoying 100% of the snaps and serving because the defensive hub of communication was troublesome in Yr 1 for Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen. It led to some struggles not solely inside his sport, however throughout the protection as properly, significantly down the stretch.

Communication points have been large for the Steelers late within the season and contributed to their five-game shedding streak to finish a as soon as promising season in ugly trend. On the heart of these communication points was Queen, who took over the inexperienced dot duties after signing with the Steelers on a three-year, $41 million deal in free company.

Previous to becoming a member of the Steelers, Queen gave up the inexperienced dot after his first few seasons within the NFL, relinquishing it to linebacker Roquan Smith in Baltimore. That freed up Queen to make extra performs, resulting in a second-team All-Professional accolade in 2023. He acknowledged the struggles with the inexperienced dot at instances in Baltimore, however with that price ticket and function defensively, Queen needed to be the man in Pittsburgh.

It didn’t go all that properly. Now coming into Yr 2 with Pittsburgh, Queen says the communication is “far more easy” and that the inexperienced dot is snug for him.

“I obtained a sense of what the coaches wanna name, particularly in sure conditions. Extra aware of the fellows round me,” Queen stated throughout a sit-down interview with Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews. “Me and Payton [Wilson] obtained an actual good connection on who’s making what name and when, and why we’re doing it. So I’m positively extra snug now. I’m simply attempting to go on the market and make extra performs.”

What the Steelers want Queen to do in 2025 is make extra performs. That’s one thing he highlighted early within the offseason, stating that he must be the man the Steelers are paying him to be. Kudos to him for being conscious of that, even after a season during which he by no means missed a snap and recorded 129 tackles to steer the staff.

On paper, these numbers have been strong, however he was far too up and down. It was a rollercoaster with Queen, and that adjustment to a brand new scheme in Pittsburgh and new items round him was troublesome.

Communication, mockingly, was an enormous speaking level all offseason for the Steelers protection. It was an enormous drawback down the stretch, and the purpose was to get it proper this offseason. Gamers have raved about it all through the summer time because the Steelers have seemingly simplified issues a bit, and everyone seems to be on the identical web page.

It begins with Queen, although. If it’s simpler for him this 12 months, and the communication is obvious, the protection must be higher. Queen ought to have the ability to fly round, too, and make performs like he’s paid to do. That might bode very properly for Pittsburgh’s protection.