The Ravens have made one major financial commitment to a member of the linebacking corps, but a second will not be coming. Patrick Queen‘s fifth-year option will not be exercised, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (Twitter link). 
Queen would have been due a 2024 salary of $12.72MM has the Ravens picked up the option. Instead, the 23-year-old will now enter a contract year while facing an uncertain future. Signs pointing to this decision emerged in the middle of the 2022 campaign, and continued during last weekend’s draft.
Baltimore traded for Roquan Smith at the deadline, sending the Bears a package including a second-round pick in exchange. Given that price, many assumed a long-term deal would soon follow, and it did. Smith signed a five-year, $100MM contract in January, making him the highest-paid linebacker in league history. His arrival led to a tangible uptick in Queen’s level of play down the stretch.
The latter finished the 2022 season with 117 tackles, five sacks, a pair of interceptions and six pass deflections. Those stats were reflected in a sizeable jump in PFF rating; the LSU product’s overall grade jumped to 70 last season after checking in at 43.5 the year before. Still, the Smith deal would have made it particularly difficult for the Ravens to absorb another eight-figure cap charge at the position.
Baltimore raised some eyebrows with the selection of linebacker Trenton Simpson in the third round of the draft. Queen himself reacted on social media in a way which hinted he felt the decision hurt his chances of remaining with the team beyond next season. Simpson boasts one of the more unique skillsets in this year’s class, showcasing an ability to play on the inside but also as an edge rusher and even a slot corner at times.
While he thus wouldn’t represent a direct replacement for Queen, Simpson could be viewed as a succession plan to an extent. Even before the draft, the former was mentioned as a potential trade candidate, and it will be worth monitoring if any developments on that front take place given today’s news. Even if there aren’t any, Queen’s next season in Baltimore could be his last.
I’d gladly take him in New Orleans once his contract ends. Come back home.
As an outside observer (Steeler fan), I never thought he was playing badly at all. Maybe not up to first-round draft status, but certainly not Devon Bush 2.0 either.
The problem was they tried to change his position and he wasn’t suited to the change
He was an outside rusher in college and they had him playing ILB , bc he was too small to play the OLB in the 3-4 in the NFL.
He also isn’t suited to be a coverage LB,
bc of his height. He may do better in another system, like an OLB in a 4-3.
He played well but not well enough to garner a new long-term deal. We knew this before the draft. His play on the field could be great one game, average on another. Combined with other money committed to Marcus Williams, Marlon, and Roquan, PQ was the odd man out. Trading him before the season starts is likely worth more to the team than his on-field 2023 production.
12.78million$ is alot 4inconsistant play @LB, should be motivated now 2prove em wrong n get that payday, Ravens kno there players value
Already feeling the effects of Jackson’s contract.
This one is more Roquans contract.
This is about what EDC likes best. Draft picks. Queen will likely play this season as a Raven. His incentive to not dog it is the large free agent contract he can command next year by having a good season. And for the Ravens, a highly productive year by Queen could mean a 3rd round supplemental draft pick in 2025.