NFL Scouts Bash Steelers' Patrick Queen's Play in New Rumors amid Cowboys Trade Buzz

Some around the NFL aren't sold on Patrick Queen as the solution for the Dallas Cowboys to improve their linebacker corps.

ESPN's Todd Archer reported Thursday that "several scouts said his play fell off last year."

Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on March 9 that "a handful of teams" had made contact with the Pittsburgh Steelers about trading for Queen.

"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.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show (via Andrew Vasquez of Steelers Wire), ESPN's Adam Schefter called Queen's situation "unusual."

"The Pittsburgh Steelers say they're not interested in moving on from him," the NFL insider said. "This could be maybe a money issue where he might be looking for more. Or maybe they want him to take a pay cut that he's unwilling to take right now."

Others downplayed the likelihood of a swap:

The Cowboys had three linebackers enter free agency (Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn and Logan Wilson), and they've yet to add anybody new. Archer pointed out how their options are dwindling.

Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David are both into their mid-30s, and Dre Greenlaw hasn't been the same since tearing his Achilles in Super Bowl LVIII.

Queen has some drawbacks of his own. He counts for $17.2 million against the salary cap and is on an expiring deal, so the present and potential future costs have to be baked into the trade.

The 26-year-old's performance did slip a bit as well. He finished with 120 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four pass breakups, missing out on the Pro Bowl after representing the AFC in 2023 and 2024.

The Steelers defense as a whole ranked 26th in yards allowed.

Queen would certainly be an upgrade for the Cowboys, but that says more about their current options than anything else.