The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing RB Jonathan Ward back as a member of their practice squad, according to NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Ward signed with the Steelers following a successful tryout at the team’s rookie minicamp, and the veteran running back will return to Pittsburgh’s practice squad after being part of final roster cuts yesterday.
Ward impressed with his work in training camp, and with the Steelers only having three running backs on their active roster, he adds depth at the position along with RB Boston Scott. Those are the two names we currently know on Pittsburgh’s practice squad, and likely they’ll be the only two running backs. A hamstring injury sustained on the final day of training camp limited Ward a bit and caused him to miss the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, but he clearly showed enough to warrant Pittsburgh bringing him back.
Ward has also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans in his four-year career. Originally an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, he has 17 carries for 69 yards and six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown in his NFL career while also being a contributor on special teams, with 553 career special teams snaps. He also logged 13 special teams snaps with the Steelers in the preseason, playing on both kick and punt return and coverage units.
Alex Kozora gave Ward an A- in his training camp grades, praising his speed and special teams value. He created an explosive play with a 20-yard run in the team’s preseason opener, and he totaled seven carries for 29 yards in two preseason games.
We’ll likely get more news on Pittsburgh’s practice squad signings throughout today and the rest of the week. Adding Ward is a solid move given how he looked in training camp and the preseason.
