Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen got off to a hot start in 2020 but struggled down the stretch, ultimately ending third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting with two votes.
The LSU product believes that he'll be ready for a Year 2 leap with a full offseason of film-work.
"Once I nail down the route concepts, I feel like my game is going to transcend so much," Queen told the "The Lounge" podcast for the team's official website. "It's so simple, but it's so far away."
Queen said that the leap from college to the pros led to some of his struggles last season.
"In college, playing the rover side, you wouldn't get that many three-man route concepts," Queen said. "You go to the NFL, you're in the Mike position, you've got to be with the nickel all the time. The three-man route concepts are way harder than two-man route concepts. That experience and getting in the film room and learning everything, that's probably going to be the biggest key."
Queen started all 16 games as a rookie, gobbling up 106 tackles, three sacks, one INT, two forced fumbles, two recoveries and a defensive TD. However, much of his production came in the first five weeks, including being named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 5.
The linebacker admitted his play "fell off" from there as he started trying to force the issue instead of just playing his role.
"Because I started off so hot, if I was to have a mediocre game, I started pressing," Queen said. "I wanted to make this play, make that play. Then you start thinking too much, and when you start thinking too much, you start playing tense. I feel like I got out of my game because I was trying to do too much instead of letting the game come to me."
Queen particularly struggled in space and missed 22 tackles, per Pro Football Focus, tied for most among linebackers with at least 550 snaps. To improve his coverage, the 21-year-old believes getting in the film room will help him raise his game in 2021.
"There's nothing I can't do on the field. I feel like this season, locking in, watching film even more than I did, getting with (inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan) and watching extra stuff, learning the route concepts, it's going to be big," Queen said. "People don't understand the type of player I'm trying to be. I don't want to talk about it too much. When it happens, it happens. I can't wait."
