After participating in the rookie minicamp with the Steelers, Jonathan Ward’s performance led to an agreement. Pittsburgh has signed the seasoned running back, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.

Now that the deal is finalized. In 2020, Ward began playing with the Cardinals. with the following three seasons, he was in and off of the practice squad. During his tenure with the team in Arizona, the former UDFA saw just nine carries before being dismissed. He played for a short time on the Jets taxi squad before joining the Titans.

After moving to Nashville, the 26-year-old was once more used sparingly on offense. Only 20 offensive snaps were taken by Ward in 10 Titans games. Still, he was a constant on special teams. With almost 550 third phase snaps under his belt, the former Central Michigan player will undoubtedly follow this route to a roster place in Pittsburgh.

Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris are the top two running backs on the Steelers’ depth chart. The former became a pending free agency and raised concerns about his future with the squad when the team decided not to activate his fifth-year option. The latter is on course for restricted free agency after the 2024 campaign, so his production relative to that of Harris will be a key storyline for the team.

Along with past UDFAs Daijun Edwards (2024) and Aaron Shampklin (2022), Ward is a running back looking to make a name for himself near the conclusion of the roster. The Steelers finished sixth in DVOA for special teams the previous season, so if they want to make it through roster cuts at the end of the preseason, they will need to put up a solid showing this summer.