Patrick Queen reveals how much money he sacrificed to join Russell Wilson’s Steelers in free agency

Patrick Queen switched sides in an intense AFC North rivalry, leaving the Baltimore Ravens to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The linebacker was expected to be paid pretty well off the strength of a good career thus far, but he took a bit of a pay cut to land with the Steelers.

On Friday, Queen appeared on "Steelers_DB" and revealed how much he turned down and how important it was to join the Steelers. He said:

“From the 15 teams that I was talking to, it came down to five at the end. Some were offering [$17 million per year]. I had a chance to either go win or a chance to get paid... For me, the difference was like $4 or $5 million."

He added:

"I'm looking at it like I've never been on a losing team before. I also don't want to be part of anything being rebuilt because I'm trying to win now. I am really just trying to win right now and get that out of the way. I will get paid later.”

Queen believes Russell Wilson's team gives him the best shot at winning out of all the teams that were pursuing him in free agency. Thus, the money is a little less consequential, and Queen believes better paydays will be in his future as a result.

Can Patrick Queen and the Steelers win the AFC North?

The AFC North is one of the most dominant divisions in the NFL. Last year, it produced three playoff teams. The only team that didn't make it was one that has been a perennial contender for a while now: the Cincinnati Bengals.

That makes it hard to envision Patrick Queen having the most success possible with the Steelers. Right now, they are not the favorites to win the division, according to Vegas Insider:

Ravens, +140
Bengals, +170
Browns, +500
Steelers, +650

Queen may have his work cut out for him in 2024.