Steelers to sign Ravens former first-round LB

The Steelers lastly broke their silence in the course of the free company “tampering” interval on Tuesday, touchdown a former first-round linebacker from their AFC North division rival Ravens.

Based on ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh plans to signal LB Patrick Queen, Baltimore’s 2020 first-round decide, to a three-year, $41 million contract.

Basic supervisor Omar Khan continues to interrupt the mould with Queen’s signing as he turns into the Steelers’ highest-paid free-agent signing in franchise historical past. The $13.6M per yr deal simply surpasses the earlier excessive of offensive lineman James Daniels’ $8.83M per yr and for good purpose.

Queen has been probably the most productive inside linebackers within the league over the previous couple of years, posting 250 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two pressured fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions and 12 defensed passes.

It may be argued that his numbers are so good as a result of he is been enjoying subsequent to All-Professional LB Roquan Smith. Within the two seasons earlier than Smith arrived, Queen had 204 tackles, 5 sacks, three pressured fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and three defensed passes.

Nevertheless, Queen fills a serious want for the Steelers, who’ve been trying to find a sideline-to-sideline linebacker since shedding Ryan Shazier to a spinal damage in 2017.

The Steelers additionally watched linebackers Cole Holcomb (knee) and Kwon Alexander (Achilles) undergo season-ending accidents final season. Holcomb’s return timeline stays unknown, and Alexander is a free agent.

The idea across the league was that the 24-year-old might have made upwards of $18 million per yr, however it appears he took a pay minimize to have the ability to face his former group a minimum of two instances a yr.

It simply so occurs that the information additionally broke inside an hour of the Ravens asserting the signing of former Titans operating again Derrick Henry, organising one more thrilling season for one of many NFL’s finest rivalries.