Every NFL offseason has a moment no franchise sees coming: when the target they’ve been circling quietly slips away. For the Dallas Cowboys’ quest to fix their defense, that moment may have just arrived at linebacker with Patrick Queen.

Queen, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, emerged as a prime Cowboys trade target this offseason. Queen signed a three-year, $41 million contract with the Steelers in March 2024 and is entering his final contract year, carrying a $17.2 million cap hit. Trading him would save Pittsburgh around $13.3 million against the salary cap, making the logic compelling for both sides. But NFL Network’s Jane Slater has pumped the brakes on that narrative.

“Seems like the Patrick Queen idea may have hit a snag,” Slater wrote on X. “Was told no updates as of this hour and on him specifically, ‘probably not going there.’”

That verdict seems to have closed the chapter on Patrick Queen. No updates came from the Dallas end, and the talks have quietly gone cold.

Queen’s appeal extended well beyond the contract figure. A former Baltimore Ravens first-round pick, he developed into one of the better coverage linebackers in the game. What’s more, in 2025, he just posted his second straight 120-tackle season (he had 129 in 2024). He added eight tackles for loss, five QB hits, defended four passes, and forced one fumble last season.

He’s precisely the type of player new Dallas defensive coordinator Christian Parker needs to build around in his first year leading the unit. But the Steelers’ asking price for Patrick Queen seems to have deterred the Cowboys for now.

“Sounds like Pittsburgh is hunting down a mid-round pick,” Nick Harris of FWST reported on X. “I personally think the best they can get is a fifth-rounder which would work in Dallas’ favor (can’t really give up a 4 or better). We’ll keep a pulse on it. Nothing imminent, but worth monitoring at this point.”

Meanwhile, Dallas had already moved to bolster the pass rush. The Cowboys traded a 2027 fourth-rounder to the Green Bay Packers for DE Rashan Gary, who averaged 7.5 sacks per season across 2024 and 2025. But linebacker still remains the unaddressed wound on a defense that allowed an NFL-worst 30.1 points per game last season.

To make matters worse for Dallas, the top of the free agent market has cleared very quickly. Nakobe Dean signed a three-year, $36 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. Quay Walker also followed suit from the Packers to the Raiders on a three-year, $40.5 million contract. Devin Lloyd and Quincy Williams were also snapped up, stripping the Cowboys’ board before Dallas could make a meaningful push.

So if not Queen, and with the top names already gone, what’s the plan? Slater’s follow-up only deepened the uncertainty.

Defensive stability still not in sight for Dallas

While Patrick Queen Avenue may have hit a wall, Jane Slater addressed the growing speculation around alternate targets as well. But the answer wasn’t encouraging.

“Doesn’t sound they are in on Wagner or Okereke either for those asking,” Slater noted. “So perhaps there is a mystery player or draft at this point. Chenal and Elliss still there too I suppose but was basically told ‘it’s quiet down. But we will see what today brings.’”

Bobby Wagner, a future Hall of Famer and 10x Pro Bowler, last seen with the Washington Commanders, had looked like a realistic fallback. Bobby Okereke, released by the New York Giants after recording 143 tackles, one sack and two picks in 17 starts in 2025, also seems to have moved away from Dallas’ radar.

A “mystery player or draft,” meanwhile, is like cold comfort for the Cowboys Nation watching the board thin out by the hour. The 2026 draft could definitely produce a linebacker, but rookies at that position rarely step in as Week 1 starters.

Two veteran names still remain on the periphery, though. Leo Chenal, 25, is a 2x Super Bowl champ with the Kansas City Chiefs. He logged 58 tackles, 2 sacks, and one interception across 14 appearances before a shoulder injury sent him to the IR in December 2025. 

Kaden Elliss, a seven-year veteran who spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, is the other candidate. Elliss brings starting experience and tackle reliability, having logged 107 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and one interception last season. Neither Elliss nor Chenal are marquee signings, but they represent the cost-effective floor for a defense that desperately needs to find its footing.

Linebacker remains the unhealed wound on this Dallas defense. With Patrick Queen gone, Wagner and Okereke apparently off the table, and the draft just a month away, the Cowboys’ most pressing need still has no answer. Will that answer come through the free agency at the last minute, or stretch out till April instead? For now, we just have Jane Slater’s words capturing the heart of Cowboys Nation: “Standby my frustrated Cowboys friends.”