The Cincinnati Bengals have the next couple of weeks off as they gear up for training camp. They used the offseason to bolster the defense, but linebacker is still a position of need.
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay floated that Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen could be a cut candidate. And if that were to happen, the Bengals would be wise to quickly scoop him from free agency.
"Releasing Queen would save Pittsburgh nearly $11 million against the cap, money that it could allocate toward finding a cheaper replacement and still have cash available to spend elsewhere. If Queen does hit free agency, he still offers plenty of upside as a 26-year-old, two-time Pro Bowler with first-round pedigree. He also brings a wealth of experience, having started 101 games since entering the league in 2020, and could still push closer to his ceiling in a new program."
The Bengals would love to add another athletic linebacker to the middle of their defense, and Queen would solve that problem. And it would be even sweeter if he came from the Steelers.
Steelers may end up accidentally solving a big Bengals problem
Considering the financial implications, the Steelers could very well move on from Queen to save that $11 million. It doesn't work in Queen's favor that Pittsburgh has Payton Wilson in the building, but that could end up helping the Bengals.
Cincinnati has Demetrius Knight Jr., Barrett Carter, and Oren Burks returning to the fold at linebacker in 2026, but all three guys struggled last year. None of them finished with an overall grade higher than 40.2 on Pro Football Focus.
Queen also had his fair share of problems last year with the Steelers, logging a 44.0 overall grade on PFF, but in a new system, he could revert to the player who was a force with the Baltimore Ravens. Over 101 career games, Queen has compiled 703 total tackles, 51 TFLs, 26 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles, and four interceptions.
One of the biggest advantages of Queen is his speed and athleticism on the field. During his Steelers tenure, he had problems missing tackles and blowing assignments, but with a new coaching staff giving him direction, he can return to his Pro Bowl form.
It's also worth noting that quarterback Joe Burrow would likely be a fan of this move. He and Queen were teammates at LSU and have remained friends since. So adding a player who is friends with your star quarterback and bolsters a position that needs some juice would be a win-win.
The Bengals should certainly keep a close eye on what happens between Queen and the Steelers. If he does get axed, Cincinnati should quickly come in and see what it would take to bring him to town for the 2026 season. He's just 26 years old and has played well in the NFL. He could certainly recapture some success, and it would be great if he did so in a Bengals uniform if Pittsburgh moves on.
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