Steelers Sign Former Titans Running Back to Bolster Depth

On Tuesday, May 21, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran Jonathan Ward to give their running back corps more depth.

The team announced the agreement soon after Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reported on it. The 26-year-old tried out for the Steelers during rookie minicamp on May 10–11 and signed a one-year contract with the team. The former Tennessee Titan and Arizona Cardinal is starting his fifth NFL season.

In 2020, Ward was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent after graduating from Central Michigan. He has contributed to special teams and been a member of the practice squads for the most of his career. He made the biggest offensive contributions when playing for the Cardinals in 2021. 33 yards on 9 carries for him. The product of Kankakee, Illinois, made seven appearances in the previous season for the Titans. He also gained 11 yards on three rushes.

Jonathan Ward Impressed at Rookie Mini Camp

The Steelers signed Ward after a standout rookie minicamp. According to Nick Farabaugh of Steelers Now, Ward specifically appeared to impress Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner.

This is part of the reason why https://t.co/AAfMkQzNRK pic.twitter.com/8yycFRruMp

— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) May 11, 2024

In this video from All Steelers Talk, Hines Ward, a former Steelers wide receiver, is seen participating in extra drills during the team’s rookie minicamp. Ward, who is now older, acknowledges that he has less time left in the league, but he still enjoys playing football and sharing the knowledge he has gained over the years with the younger players. Ward sees this as a blessing, as it allows him to take on a dual role of both player and coach, which he believes gives him an advantage.

Ward Rounds Out Steelers Deep Running Back Room

Similar to his tenures in Arizona and Tennessee, Ward’s primary contribution in Pittsburgh is probably going to be on special teams.

He joins a Steelers club that already features Jaylen Warren, Najee Harris, and newcomer Cordarrelle Patterson as reliable running backs.

In 2023, Harris and Warren once again shown their effectiveness as a duo, combining for 1,819 yards and 12 touchdowns on 404 carries. They were both used by the Steelers in the quick passing game as well. Together, they caught 90 passes for 540 yards.

On March 26, Patterson and the Steelers reached an agreement on a two-year, $6 million contract, as reported by NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The NFL modified its kickoff regulations, and the Steelers acted almost immediately.

With the intention of increasing safety and generating more spectacular returns, the new regulations incorporate certain aspects of the XFL’s kickoff rules.

Patterson holds the NFL record with nine kickoffs returned for touchdowns. While he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he was also productive under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith of the Steelers.

Patterson ran for a total of 1,494 yards and 14 touchdowns on 347 carries in his three seasons with the Falcons. With 50 carries for 181 yards in the 2023 season, he did experience a decline.

The choice to sign Patterson and the new regulations were covered by Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin at his pre-draft news conference on April 22.

Speaking on the team’s YouTube channel, Tomlin stated, “I think we’re all speculating regarding the impact of the new rule.” “We could respond to you, but it’s conjecture. Naturally, we’re taking various actions in relation to that and how it affects the game. For example, we signed Patterson right away because of this, but I believe that everyone is still assessing how that play affected the game and making decisions about late-round selections, roster construction, and who gets a hat. I believe that in a year, we’ll all comprehend it better.