The Steelers made a number of splashy strikes in free company, however in relation to greenback worth, no participant was an even bigger splash than ILB Patrick Queen. His play didn’t bounce off the display screen in the beginning of the season, however he’s beginning to spherical into type as he settles into his new tasks.
“He’s been getting comfy for positive. I feel that’s a part of it, is like, the primary two weeks, three weeks, 4 weeks, we’ve been constructing as much as it within the sport. Not beginning off quick, however I feel clearly you noticed it this previous week the place we’re beginning to get comfy, and that’s a giant factor,” Freiermuth mentioned through Chalk Speak with Gerry Dulac on 102.5 WDVE. “Getting comfy with communications with the man on the sphere. There’s so many issues that want to enter every play and all sides of the ball. Little intricacies of every little thing. So folks overlook about that, so yeah, it’s beginning to present up large time.”
Mike Tomlin has repeatedly referred to Queen because the quarterback of the protection since buying him. He’s sporting the inexperienced communication dot, which implies he takes the calls from the sideline and is liable for speaking these to the remainder of the staff. That could be a large accountability for a 25-year-old participant in his first season with a brand new staff, however Tomlin has expressed his confidence in that function.
Regardless, it’s truthful to imagine there was a little bit of an adjustment interval. Since he has tasks to the entire protection, he might be enjoying slightly slower as he can’t absolutely deal with his particular person job earlier than the snap as a lot.
Queen solely had 14 whole tackles and 0 tackles-for-loss over the season’s first three weeks. Over the past three weeks, he has 29 whole tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a quarterback hit. He has been leaping off the display screen far more and customarily across the soccer extra constantly. He was partially concerned in T.J. Watt’s second punch-out on Sunday towards the Las Vegas Raiders. He was the primary to the ball provider and compelled him to bounce exterior lengthy sufficient for Watt to land the punch.
The arrow is pointing up for Queen, and it’s only a matter of time earlier than he begins making the affect performs that made him a second-team All-Professional in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens.
