With top impending free agent Josey Jewell likely to be playing elsewhere in 2024, the Denver Broncos will jot down inside linebacker on its ever-expanding list of offseason needs. But the same place they’re losing Jewell to — the NFL’s open market — is where they can find his replacement, according to ESPN’s Matt Bowen, who pegged Denver as the “best team fit” for Baltimore Ravens free-agent ILB Patrick Queen. “With Josey Jewell hitting free agency, the Broncos could opt to replace him with Queen, who can clean up in the run game, drop in coverage and create pressure on blitz stunts,” Bowen wrote Tuesday. “In addition to 133 tackles, Queen chipped in 3.5 sacks and 18 pressures last season in Baltimore. He would bring a physical and productive presence to the middle of the Denver defense.”

he 28th overall pick of the 2020 draft, Queen is fresh off a breakout season in Baltimore, tying for the club lead with 84 solo tackles to go along with nine tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, six pass deflections, and one forced fumble. He was voted to the Pro Bowl and named second-team All-Pro.

As Bowen mentioned, Queen is a three-down boon both in run support and coverage. The 6-foot, 230-pound defender graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 24 linebacker among 82 qualifiers — 17 spots higher than Jewell. Queen, 24, would instantly upgrade the middle of Vance Joseph’s defense, and the Broncos would no doubt love to splurge on him. But as with many of the Tier-One free agents … they really can’t. Queen is projected to score a lucrative deal in the neighborhood of $18.5 million per year, according to Spotrac, making him the league’s third-highest-paid ILB. A luxury rather than a necessity, and the Broncos are in no position for the former.

Such is life for an organization nearly $26 million over the salary cap — and that’s before they possibly swallow an unprecedented $85 million in dead cap by releasing quarterback Russell Wilson. Denver earlier this week re-signed ILB Jonas Griffith, who joins Alex Singleton and Drew Sanders as the only off-ball ‘backers under contract for 2024.