Coming off a defensive MVP nod in LSU’s national championship win over Clemson, Ravens fans were largely excited when the team nabbed Patrick Queen with their first-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft.
Queen’s speed and tenacity shined on film, and though he only started a handful of games in college, there was plenty of reason for optimism regarding his ability to rush the passer from different angles, run sideline-to-sideline to chase down ball carriers and potentially provide coverage in the middle of the field. Following a 14-2 season that saw the Ravens rely on previously-discarded veterans like Josh Bynes and L.J. Fort, the Purple Kingdom was enthralled with this athletic ‘backer with the championship pedigree.
And, make no mistake about it, we have seen flashes these first two seasons.
He was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in only the fifth game of his career, netting nine tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a touchdown off a recovered fumble against the Bengals and his college teammate, Joe Burrow. He finished that rookie season third in the AP Rookie Defensive Player of the Year vote, tallying three sacks, a pick and more than 100 tackles. He did enough to warrant a great deal of optimism going into year two.
But last season didn’t start out as a glowing showcase of Queen, as the young linebacker went through an early spell of missed tackles, to go along with some plays when it appeared to observers that he was beat in pass coverage or took the wrong gap in run defense. Admittedly, fans don’t always prescribe blame to the right player because we don’t have all the information in front of us on every play, but things certainly weren’t looking great for Queen at the start of the year. In fact, that word “Bust” was tossed around in some circles of the Flockdom.
But the team moved to bring back Bynes, slid him into the MIKE spot, and allowed Queen to basically run and react the rest of the way in the WILL position. Positive results came for Queen almost immediately, and his play improved noticeably.
“It’s what I used to play at LSU, so I kind of had a feel to it,” Queen explained at the time, per the Ravens website. “And just being along somebody that’s been in the league a long time, it helps me a little bit. It’s a confidence thing. I just got to go out there and play the game that I know I can play at a high level.”
And we’ve seen teases of that potential. The Ravens as an organization should have enough data at their fingertips on Queen by now to know how to put him in the best position to succeed. Though they certainly flirted with free agent linebacker Bobby Wagner by all accounts, they chose not to add any young talent at linebacker in the draft. Now in his third season, with the team having to make a decision next offseason on his fifth-year option, Queen needs to take a big step this year.
He can.
There are some elements that certainly work in his favor. The second half of his second season was far better than the first. That alone shows progression. Also, I agree with him that having a veteran presence next to him like Bynes — not only on the field, but in the meeting rooms — only benefits a young player trying to find his way. And it should probably be noted that his position coach when he was first drafted, Mike Macdonald, is now his defensive coordinator. That matters. Macdonald knows what and who Queen is.
And I also love the Zach Orr factor when it comes to Queen. The Ravens inside linebacker coach was a tremendous talent for the team before an injury cut his career short at the age of 25. He did a coaching internship with the team for several years before taking on a position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This year, Orr returns “home” and nurturing Queen has to be near the top of his priorities. Orr seems to already be a fan of Queen’s vast potential.
“I mean, the sky is the limit for him,” he said, per Childs Walker with the Baltimore Sun. “That’s the thing — God touched ‘PQ’ [with] natural ability, and he works hard at it. Obviously, you see he’s out here every single day, and we just continue to try to work and get him better and better, because I honestly believe that [if] he continues to get better, continues to grow, continues to work on the little details, he can be one of the best linebackers in the National Football League.”
Now’s the year for Queen to definitively show that he’s on that path. With the Ravens’ additions to the defensive line and backfield, somewhat-wary eyes are directed at EDGE and linebacker. And fans are cautiously optimistic at EDGE with the anticipated returns, at some point, of Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo, along with the sky-high ceiling of second-year pro Odafe Oweh. That puts a more pointed target on the linebacker position.
An improved Queen could turn those eyes elsewhere.
