Connect with us

Pittsburg, PA

Patrick Queen leaving Baltimore for rival Pittsburgh on 3-year deal, AP sources say

Published

on

Patrick Queen leaving Baltimore for rival Pittsburgh on 3-year deal, AP sources say


PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have found a running mate for outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

Pittsburgh is luring inside linebacker Patrick Queen away from rival Baltimore. The Steelers and the second-team All-Pro have agreed to a three-year deal worth $41 million, two people with knowledge of the deal tell The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity the move can’t become official until the new league year begins Wednesday.

Queen, 24, is coming off a career-best season with Baltimore in 2023 when he had 133 tackles to go with 3 1/2 sacks and an interception. His arrival addresses a position the Steelers have struggled to fill since Ryan Shazier suffered a career-ending back injury in December 2017.

Pittsburgh’s inside linebacking group was decimated by injuries last fall, with Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander having their seasons cut short. Holcomb is recovering from knee surgery in early November while Alexander, who will become a free agent on Wednesday, tore an Achilles tendon in a win over Green Bay on Nov. 12.

Advertisement

The Steelers will slot Queen next to Elandon Roberts, who led the Steelers with 101 tackles last season. It also takes the pressure off Holcomb to return by the season opener.

The move is the second splashy addition Pittsburgh has made since the tampering period began. Nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson has agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, thanks in part to the Denver Broncos picking up the lion’s share of the tab.

Grabbing Wilson on the cheap gave general manager Omar Khan the flexibility to land Queen, who is entering his prime and is the kind of three-down linebacker the Steelers have been searching for since Shazier injured his back in Cincinnati on Dec. 4, 2017.

The position has been a revolving door of sorts in recent years and Pittsburgh’s aggressive move to trade up into the top 10 in the 2019 draft to select Devin Bush failed spectacularly when Bush tore his ACL early in his second season and struggled to regain his form.

The list of veterans the Steelers have brought in to fill the void over the years includes Jon Bostic, Mark Barron, Avery Williamson, Joe Schobert and Myles Jack. None of them stuck, though Jack did return to the team in the middle of last season after being cut the previous spring in a salary cap move.

Advertisement

No player in that group, however, was as young or as accomplished as Queen when they signed. His arrival gives the Steelers the kind of versatile inside linebacking presence they’ll need in a division that includes Queen’s now-former teammate Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.

___

AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Advertisement

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pittsburg, PA

Steelers, Davante Adams Trade Could Be Coming Soon

Published

on

Steelers, Davante Adams Trade Could Be Coming Soon


PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers could have a new superstar wide receiver on their roster before they take off for Las Vegas next week. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the timeline for the Davante Adams trade is heating up, as there’s an expectation he gets dealt as early as Tuesday.

“With Adams’ hamstring close to being healthy, trade talks are expected to accelerate Monday and Tuesday. If a trade is going to get done this week, which is possible, Tuesday would be the deadline,” Rapoport writes.

While the Steelers are only in the mix right now, competing with teams like the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills, they’re reportedly making a strong push. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Pittsburgh has made an “aggressive offer” for Adams, in hopes of landing him before Week 6.

It’s unknown what the offer would be, but sources have told Steelers On SI that the Raiders are looking for a minimum of a second-round NFL Draft pick and a “significant player” in exchange for the All-Pro receiver.

Advertisement

The Steelers were on the cusp of landing Brandon Aiyuk this summer, so it comes as no surprise that they are looking to land Adams now that he’s available. While what they are willing to offer remains a mystery, their level of interest is easy to predict.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, breakdowns and more!



Source link

Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh continues to choose loyalty over their Wilsons

Published

on

Pittsburgh continues to choose loyalty over their Wilsons


On Thursday, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo appeared on 93.7 The Fan, addressing several key Steelers topics, including the ongoing situations with Russell Wilson and Roman Wilson. Fittipaldo believes that given Justin Fields’ current performance, it would take “a bad game” to warrant a switch a switch at quarterback.

Additionally, with Arthur Smith’s scheme requiring four tight ends and four wide receivers on game day, Roman Wilson seems to be the odd man out of a WR group that contains George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Van Jefferson, and Scotty Miller.  This leads many, including Fittipaldo, to conclude that Roman Wilson’s status as a healthy scratch is more a matter of preference than necessity for Pittsburgh.

Loyalty plays a significant role in both Russell and Roman Wilson’s availability issues. Mike Tomlin acknowledged the challenge by stating, “It’s very difficult to get on a moving train.” However, Smith’s loyalty to Jefferson and Fields seems to be preventing the Wilsons from hopping on the proverbial locomotive, which could then provoke Pittsburgh to exaggerate the severity of the injuries to save face.

More!

Russell Wilson looks healthy enough, but what’s the real story?

Advertisement

Russell Wilson should be given a chance to earn his spot back, right?

What’s the deal with Steelers rookie WR Roman Wilson?

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Pittsburgh continues to choose loyalty over their Wilsons



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh Steelers defense gets boost with return of ex-Ravens linebacker

Published

on

Pittsburgh Steelers defense gets boost with return of ex-Ravens linebacker


The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon off of injured reserve, the team announced on Saturday. Moon will occupy the 53rd and final roster spot for the Steelers this week against the Dallas Cowboys.

Moon will add a fourth outside linebacker to their rotation as long as he is active. He missed four weeks with an ankle injury that he suffered back in the middle of August. Now, Moon will add special teams depth and give the Steelers another body with Alex Highsmith sidelined with a groin injury. Highsmith is expected to return in two weeks.

Moon was claimed by the Steelers in January after the Baltimore Ravens released him during the playoffs. He was running with the second team before his injury forced him to miss time.

Nick Herbig will start alongside T.J. Watt, with Moon and DeMarvin Leal giving the team depth. The 26-year-old is a Florida product and was undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, but his athleticism and special teams acumen allowed him to earn a roster spot with the Ravens. He has 12 tackles and two forced fumbles in his career.

Advertisement
  • BETTING: Check out our guide to the best PA sportsbooks, where our team of sports betting experts has reviewed the experience, payout speed, parlay options and quality of odds for multiple sportsbooks.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending