Ravens to let Pro Bowl defender hit open market?

Two of the Ravens’ Skilled Bowl defenders, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike and inside linebacker Patrick Queen, are on account of hit free firm in March. As Baltimore appears extra more likely to put the franchise tag on Madubuike, there is not going to be adequate cap room to current Queen the sort of contract he would command on the open market, and GM Eric DeCosta simply recently instructed that Queen would get the prospect to see what the market has in retailer for him.

“Patrick had an unimaginable season,” DeCosta talked about at his end-of-season presser, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “I actually like Patrick. He’s one among my favorite guys on the crew. He’s put himself in a incredible place, in all probability, to hit the market and see what his price is. You under no circumstances know.”

The Ravens chosen Queen inside the first spherical of the 2020 draft. Whereas the LSU product flashed at cases all through his first a lot of years inside the league, he didn’t really get away until Baltimore acquired fellow inside ‘backer Roquan Smith on the 2022 commerce deadline. With the elite Smith as a working mate, Queen lastly began dwelling as a lot as his draft standing and excelled down the stretch of the 2022 advertising and marketing marketing campaign. Baltimore nonetheless declined the fifth-year selection on Queen’s rookie deal. Extension talks between participant and crew failed to offer an settlement, which led to some frustration on Queen’s half and which turned 2023 proper right into a platform yr.

Although Queen was named a trade candidate inside the run-up to ultimate yr’s draft and over the summer, the Ravens elected to let him finish out his rookie contract, to the advantage of every occasions. In 17 video video games (all begins) in 2023, Queen set a career-high with 133 tackles and graded out as a result of the Twenty third-best linebacker inside the league (eight spots behind Smith) per Skilled Soccer Focus. Inside the course of, he earned the first Skilled Bowl bid of his occupation and set himself up correctly for a worthwhile contract in his first foray into free firm.

Offered that the Ravens have already devoted a five-year, $100M contract to Smith, it was on a regular basis unlikely that they’d authorize a contract for Queen commensurate alongside along with his market price (which Spotrac estimates is $18.5M/year). That’s very true given the franchise’s penchant for drafting and creating prime quality ILB experience, and 2023 third-rounder Trenton Simpson is in line to take over Queen’s place should the latter uncover a brand new employer in 2024.

DeCosta clearly didn’t rule out a reunion with Queen, nevertheless besides his market doesn’t develop as anticipated, it presently appears as if the 24-year-old might be having fun with elsewhere in 2024.