Despite no update on his contract status ahead of the 2026 season, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen reported to OTAs for the team's second week of offseason practices.
According to photographs released by the team of the club's fourth OTA session at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday, Queen was a participant in the first practice session of the second week of OTAs.
The Tuesday practice session was closed to the media, the second such closure this spring. The Steelers will have open practices on Thursday and Friday this week.
Queen did not take part in the practices during the first week of OTAs that were open to the media, and with the Steelers' starting inside linebacker entering a contract year, it was unclear at first as to whether Queen's absence was due to a contract dispute or simply a veteran player skipping the first week of OTAs, as several did.
With Queen back in the fold for the second week, only scant few Steelers veterans have now not yet been spotted at OTAs.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen at practice on Oct. 22, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Queen signed a three-year, $41 million contract with the Steelers in 2024, taking the rare step to sign with Pittsburgh after beginning his career with their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens .
Baltimore's first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of LSU, Queen was an All-Pro with the Ravens in 2023, before he came to Pittsburgh. He was a Pro Bowler in both 2023 and 2024, but has largely not reached the level of play with the Steelers that he maintained in Baltimore.
His career highs in tackles (133), tackles for loss (10), sacks (5) and quarterback hits (14) all came during his time with the Ravens.
Queen is scheduled to make $13.33 million in 2025, with a $2.5 million roster bonus already paid in March and $10.83 million in salary due over the course of the season. His $13.67 million average annual value makes him the ninth-highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Veteran Reports to OTAs, Despite Contract Uncertainty
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