'Sheesh!' Ravens Trading LB Patrick Queen After Drafting Trenton Simpson?
The Baltimore Ravens already spent big at linebacker having recently signed Roquan Smith to a five-year, $100 million. Now, after using a pick in third round of the 2023 NFL Draft to take Clemons linebacker Trenton Simpson, they've spent big again in terms of capital.
And all of that leads to a natural question about the commitment - or maybe lack thereof - to another linebacker standout in t Patrick Queen.
What is Queen's future in Baltimore? Even he is reacting to the moves with a weekend tweet stating simply, "Sheesh.''
There are some media scouts who had Simpson ranked as the No. 2 inside linebacker in this year's entire class after a Clemson career that featured him this year recording 72 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles for Clemson in 2022.
Meanwhile, of course, the Ravens are faced with a Monday May 1 deadline decision as to whether to exercise the fifth-year option on Queen, an arrangement that would keep him under contract through 2024.
But with Simpson in the fold and with Roquan locked up for the long-term ... yes, it would make sense for the Ravens to listen to trade calls for Queen, who had 117 total tackles, six pass breakups, five sacks and two fumble recoveries for the Ravens in 2022.
The Ravens, if they pick up the option, will commit about $13 million to the player in 2024. ... and in a vacuum, that might work. But given the circumstances? They now have an important decision to make regarding Queen's fifth-year option or even a trade - with the drafting of Trenton Simpson suggesting they may have already come to their decision.
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