Report: Steelers sign RB Jonathan Ward to 53-man roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers have added RB Jonathan Ward to their 53-man roster. according to NFL insider Aaron Wilson.

With all three of Ward’s highs exhausted, it appears that Ward will be added to the team’s 53-man roster. That requires a corresponding move, and it’s possible the team releases RB Aaron Shampklin to make room. Last week, Ward was called up from the practice squad and started opposite Shampklin, who didn’t suit up.

Pittsburgh will announce its final roster moves by the 4:00 p.m. EST deadline. In addition to Ward, it’s possible the team moves WR Brandon Johnson to wide receiver depth since rookie WR Roman Wilson is out with a hamstring injury and RB/KR/WR Cordarrelle Patterson will miss another game with an ankle injury.

With Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren healthy, Ward has played primarily on special teams this year, being used on kick returns and right wing on punts. To date, he has logged 40 special teams snaps and made one tackle, a strong kick coverage stop in last week’s win over the New York Jets.

Ward also played sparingly on offense, recording five runs for 22 yards in nine offensive snaps.

Ward, a veteran, was first signed this spring after trying out with the Steelers during rookie minicamp. He had a good summer, but a late leg injury put paid to it, although he still earned a spot on the practice squad. He earned the highest training camp grade of any running back we wrote about in August.

“Ward had a strong camp that hopefully didn’t end badly. Sitting at the back of the pecking order with three others, La’Mical Perine, Aaron Shampklin and Daijun Edwards, Ward separated himself from the group. Since he didn’t have an official 40-yard dash time due to the pandemic, I didn’t know how fast Ward was. The answer? Pretty quick. He had one of the plays in training camp when he fended off an 80-yard touchdown run down the right side in a live tackle drill, outpacing two defensive backs all the way to the end zone. Ward carried his big-play skills over to preseason action, seizing a seemingly doomed leadoff run and slinging it wide of the goal to gain the advantage under his own power and fend off a 20-yard rush .”

Pittsburgh and New York kick off tonight at 8:20pm/EST.