Steelers cut RB Jonathan Ward
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Steelers cut RB Jonathan Ward
The Steelers released running back Jonathan Ward on Thursday. Ward played 24 snaps in the preseason before the team cut him out of training camp. Pittsburgh signed Ward to a futures deal in January.
Pittsburgh signed Ward to a futures deal in January.
He originally joined the Steelers on a one-year veteran benefit contract in May 2024. Ward played 24 snaps in the preseason before the team cut him out of training camp.
Ward joined the Steelers’ practice squad, though, and made four appearances last season. He played 10 offensive snaps and 59 on special teams.
He had five carries for 22 yards.
Ward entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, signing with the Cardinals in 2020. He also played for the Jets (2022) and Titans (2022-23).
In his career, Ward has 22 carries for 91 yards and six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Steelers cut ties with 5-year NFL veteran running back
Jonathan Ward has been in the NFL for five years as an undrafted journeyman. The Steelers had signed Ward to a reserve/futures contract in January, but he won’t make it into the summer. Ward played 24 snaps in the 2024 preseason for Pittsburgh, then played 17 snaps in Week 5 against the Cowboys.
On Thursday, the Steelers determined one guy who wouldn’t help in filling that role.
Pittsburgh cut Jonathan Ward, a veteran who has been in the NFL for five years as an undrafted journeyman.
The Steelers had signed Ward to a reserve/futures contract in January, but he won’t make it into the summer with Pittsburgh.
Ward played 24 snaps in the 2024 preseason for Pittsburgh, then played 17 snaps in Week 5 against the Cowboys.
He added 52 more snaps in the next three weeks, and he spent much of the remainder of the season on the practice squad.
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Ward was originally an undrafted player in 2020 out of Central Michigan who signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
He has since played for the Titans, as well.
Ward has appeared in 46 total NFL games, totaling 22 carries for 91 yards and catching one pass for three yards.
He also has 18 tackles in a special teams role to go with one forced fumble.
The 6-foot tall, 202-pound RB may earn another chance elsewhere in the NFL since he’s still in his athletic prime and has clearly had a few front-office fans already as a back-end-of-the-roster guy.
It just doesn’t appear Ward’s future with the Steelers will continue, at least in the immediate term.
MORE NFL NEWS:
Report: Steelers release veteran running back
The Steelers have released running back Jonathan Ward. He was signed to the team’s practice squad in January. The team is expected to make a move for a wide receiver or running back in the near future. It is unclear who the Steelers will sign to replace Ward.
The release sparked speculation as to which players, if any, the Steelers were attempting to make room for — a veteran wideout for the Aaron Rodgers-led offense, or perhaps rumored trade target CB Jalen Ramsey, who set off a fan frenzy after being spotted working out at UCLA.
Ward, a standout Central Michigan running back, signed with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2020. After his release from the Cardinals in November of 2022, he would bounce around from practice squad to practice squad before being called up by the Tennessee Titans, where he played 10 games until signing with Pittsburgh in 2024.
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Ward was signed by the Steelers to a Reserve/Future contract this past January — but the stacked running back room likely makes it difficult to justify a spot on the 90-man roster.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers release former Cardinals, Titans running back
Steelers Clear Roster Spot With Veteran RB Release
The Pittsburgh Steelers released running back Jonathan Ward on Thursday. It’s the fourth time the Steelers have signed and released Ward in the past year. The team didn’t include a corresponding move, so for the time being, Pittsburgh will have an extra roster opening. Ward rushed for 22 yards on five carries in four games for the Steelers last season. In 46 NFL games, he has registered 91 rushing yards in his NFL career. The Steelers have seven running backs remaining on their roster. Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson are expected to have the most carries while veterans Kenneth Gainwell and Cordarrelle Patterson could have small offensive roles as well. Some fans on social media speculated that releasing Ward could be a sign the Steelers were making room for former All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
The team announced Thursday it released Ward from the offseason roster. The Steelers didn’t include a corresponding move, so for the time being, Pittsburgh will have an extra roster opening.
Thursday marked the fourth time the Steelers released Ward in the past year. The veteran running back had been on the Pittsburgh roster since signing a futures contract with the team on January 20.
Ward rushed for 22 yards on five carries in four games for the Steelers last season. In 46 NFL games, he has registered 91 rushing yards in his NFL career.
Steelers Part Ways With RB Jonathan Ward
Technically, Ward has experienced just one stint with the Steelers. A player has to sign with another organization before returning to a club for it to count as multiple stints.
Ward hasn’t been on any other team since first signing with the Steelers on May 21, 2024.
But since then, the Steelers have signed and released Ward now four times. First, Ward didn’t make the team’s roster after 2024 training camp, but he returned on the team’s practice squad to begin the season.
Ward played in three games during October as a practice squad elevation. After he reached the maximum amount of elevations, the Steelers signed Ward to their active roster on Oct. 28 for Week 8.
Following that matchup, the Steelers released Ward, to only re-sign him to their practice squad.
That happened again during the second half of last season. The Steelers waived Ward on Dec. 4 and then brought him back on the practice squad two days later.
Given that history, the safe bet is this won’t be the last of Ward in Pittsburgh. The team clearly doesn’t mind using the running back to juggle roster spots.
Who Will the Steelers Add to Replace Ward on the Roster?
After the Steelers announced the release of Ward on Thursday afternoon, fans were quick to wonder who the team might be targeting to replace the running back on the roster.
Pundits have argued this week the Steelers should add a cornerback in free agency. Some fans on social media speculated that releasing Ward could be a sign the Steelers were making room for former All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Technically, the Steelers already had a roster space available to add Ramsey if they wished. Before Ward’s release, Pittsburgh had 90 players on its offseason roster, but edge rusher Julius Welschof is exempt through the NFL’s international player program.
In essence, the Steelers are permitted 91 players, so they already had the space before releasing Ward to add another player.
Still, it’s been rather obvious the Steelers haven’t wanted to take advantage of Welschof’s exemption this offseason, as the team has mostly stayed to 90 players on the roster. So, it’s certainly possible the Steelers have a player in mind to add with Ward’s release.
Without Ward, the Steelers have seven running backs remaining on their roster. Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson are expected to have the most carries while veterans Kenneth Gainwell and Cordarrelle Patterson could have small offensive roles as well.
The Steelers also have running backs Trey Sermon, Evan Hull, and Max Hurleman on their offseason roster.
Steelers Release Versatile, Veteran Running Back
The Pittsburgh Steelers have released running back Jonathan Ward, the team announced on Thursday. Ward first joined the Steelers as a veteran tryout to rookie minicamp in 2024. He spent the entire 2024 season with the Steelers, bouncing back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster. Ward is a 6-foot, 202-pound running back rom Kankakee, Illinois. He started his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Steelers Release Versatile, Veteran Running Back
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jonathan Ward during a preseason game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 10, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers have released running back Jonathan Ward, the team announced on Thursday.
Ward was in a competitive group of depth running backs throughout OTAs that also included veterans Trey Sermon and Evan Hull, and appeared to be in shape to compete for a spot on the practice squad once again at training camp.
Ward first joined the Steelers as a veteran tryout to rookie minicamp in 2024. He earned a contract, and spent the entire 2024 season with the Steelers, bouncing back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster.
In four games last season, he run five times for 22 yards. He also had two tackles on special teams.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jonathan Ward at practice on Oct. 25, 2024. — Ed Thomson / Steelers Now
Ward is a 6-foot, 202-pound running back rom Kankakee, Illinois. A Central Michigan alum, he started his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Ward played in 14 games as a rookie, mostly on special teams, and then another 13 games in Arizona in 2021, when he saw his first real offensive action, rushing for 33 yards on nine carries and catching three of four targets for 34 yards.
In 2022, Ward played five games with Arizona, all on special teams, before a hamstring injury forced him to the injured reserve list. He was then released, and spent some time on the New York Jets practice squad before catching on with the Tennessee Titans.
With Tennessee, Ward played in three games in 2022 rushing five times for 25 yards and catching two of three passes for seven yards while again playing a significant role on special teams. He bounced between the Titans practice squad and active roster in 2023, playing in seven games, again mostly on special teams. He totaled just 11 yards on three carries while on offense.
There was no corresponding move to Ward’s release announced. The Steelers now have two vacant slots on their 90-man offseason roster.
Source: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/steelers-cut-rb-jonathan-ward