The list of likely trade candidates ahead of the 2026 season should pique the Patriots' interest for several reasons, mainly because of the number of names who could very easily upgrade their biggest roster weaknesses.
That has many connecting them to linebackers and tight ends across the league, many of whom would be impressive additions after the team's additions this offseason. Plus, they've already shown their willingness to pull off high-priced trades, as they did for A.J. Brown, so presumably nobody is off the table.
One player that should be, however, is linebacker Patrick Queen, who seemed like a solid candidate to have on their radar, given that Harold Landry is recovering from offseason surgery and they lost key players at that position in free agency.
Queen is just 26 years old and has already been named to the Pro Bowl twice, with many analysts believing he will be the next big defensive star in the league. But some parts of his game should make the Patriots hesitate about making the call, with a new label from Bleacher Report seemingly sealing the deal to pass on the chance.
There might be enough reasons for the Patriots to steer clear of a trade for Patrick Queen
While compiling a list of the most overpaid players in the league at each position, Moe Moton named Queen the most overpaid linebacker for the 2026 season, as he is set to earn $13.3 million this fall.
On the surface, being hit with an unofficial label like "overpaid" shouldn't be a reason for the Patriots to ignore what Queen could do for their defense; reading more about exactly what he played in 2025 should.
"Although Queen registered 129 tackles, six for loss and a career-high seven pass breakups, he allowed a 114 passer rating and four touchdowns in coverage. Last year, the athletic linebacker slightly improved in that regard, permitting a 100.4 passer rating and two touchdowns as a cover defender.
Queen is a decent linebacker, but his lapses in coverage raise questions about whether his production aligns with his salary and cap hit."
That's not exactly the kind of performance that would warrant a team sending high draft capital in a trade, and the Patriots should prefer to keep those picks rather than take the risk.
There is a chance that the linebacker will play better under the new Steelers coaching staff, as Moton suggests, but the Patriots would have to wait to see what that might look like before even inquiring about Queen's availability.
"As a high-paid linebacker, Queen should be a reliable three-down defender, but that's not the case on passing downs. Perhaps he fares better under the new Steelers defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham, though the six-year pro is overpaid coming off two mediocre seasons in coverage."
Given his age and the hype that has been around him over the past handful of years, there's no reason to necessarily remove Queen from a short list of potential trade targets. But at the same time, there are some concerns, and taking on his salary is certainly one of them.
Although they have the cap space to do it, they would be showing they have a lot of faith in what he could do for their defense with their willingness to pay that kind of money, and if he doesn't play up to that, then it's a risk they'll regret in short order.
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