Rost: Could Seattle Seahawks sign All-Pro linebacker Patrick Queen?

The Seattle Seahawks have a problem, but also an opportunity.

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The problem? A serious lack of depth at linebacker. Spotty depth or roster questions is hardly a rarity this early in the offseason; free agency has yet to get underway, the draft has yet to begin, and future Seahawks have yet to be signed. But both off-ball linebackers are on expiring contracts this March: Bobby Wagner, who’s voiced interested in returning to Seattle though would be doing so in his age 34 season, and Jordyn Brooks, a former first-round pick whose remarkable return from a torn ACL still didn’t leave him without injury questions.

Returning both players solves the issue and continues to provide playmaking. Wagner is coming off a Pro Bowl season and career high 183 tackles, while Brooks was third and added a pick six.

Another option? Adding a playmaker from outside the organization. The Seahawks (just like any other team) have an opportunity to sign former Ravens first-round pick Patrick Queen. Unlike other teams, they hold the advantage of having Queen’s former defensive coordinator as their new head coach.

This past season was Queen’s best. His 133 tackles were a career high, and he added an interception, 6 passes defensed, and 3.5 sacks for his first Pro Bowl nod.

Queen has said he’d ideally like to stay in Baltimore, but certainly sounded open to a change.

“Of course,” Queen told reporters during Ravens’ locker room cleanout. “It’s where I started at, so it would definitely be nice if I’m back. At the same time, I just have to do what’s best for me, do what’s best for my family. Then, they have to do what’s best for them on the other side as well. Wherever that leads to, it’s up to God.”

The franchise tag won’t be an option – general manager Eric DeCosta said at this week’s Scouting Combine that the team will likely use the tag on sack-leader Justin Madubuike – leaving a new contract as the only option. And that’ll cost more after a career year.

Spotrac projects a market value of Queen’s contract at five years, $96 million (or about $18.5 million per year), which is a significantly larger investment than the $11.5 million per year value projected for Brooks.

Perhaps a ballooning salary cap makes it worth it. That, combined with Queen’s own history with Mike Macdonald, gives Seattle a real opportunity to sign Queen.

“Familiarity breeds comfort,” CBS Sports’ salary cap expert Joel Corry told Bump and Stacy about the comparison in investment between Brooks and Queen. “Mike Macdonald comes from Baltimore. There’s a guy drafted right around Brooks, went to his first Pro Bowl, who knows this defense… I’m sending Patrick Queen here. If you’re going to pay a linebacker, pay him. You know what he can do in this system. No offense to Jordyn Brooks, and he’ll probably cost more. But that one makes sense to me: Patrick Queen as a Seahawk.”

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