Steelers A to Z: Signed after tryout, Jonathan Ward brings experience to running back group

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

RB Jonathan Ward

Experience/age: Fifth season with 42 games of NFL experience/turns 27 in September

Contract status: $985,000 cap hit if he makes the team

The past: After spending his first four NFL seasons with Arizona and Tennessee, Ward was out of work until he attended the Steelers’ rookie minicamp in May on a tryout basis. The Steelers signed the 6-foot, 202-pound running back on May 21.

Ward was a four-year contributor at Central Michigan where he rushed for 1,108 yards and scored 15 touchdowns as a senior in 2019. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry that year and caught 34 passes for 329 yards and a score. Ward rushed for a team-high 1,019 yards in 2017.

The Cardinals signed Ward as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He appeared in 14 games as a rookie, contributing primarily on special teams. Ward had just four offensive snaps that year, with one resulting in an 11-yard reception for a touchdown. It remains his only NFL score.

Ward had nine carries with Arizona in 2021 and five with Tennessee when he joined the Titans late in the 2022 season. Ward appeared in seven games with the Titans last season and had three carries.

5-yr NFL veteran RB Jonathan Ward is here at Steelers rookie minicamp on a tryout

He seems to be making a good impression on RB coach Eddie Faulkner #heavyasshands pic.twitter.com/mJx4mHLLtr

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 10, 2024

2024 outlook: Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren occupy the top two running back spots, and Ward’s chance of making the roster will boil down to whether the Steelers want to keep three or four running backs on the roster.

Cordarrelle Patterson is another veteran running back on the roster, although the Steelers signed him primarily for his kick returning capabilities. La’Mical Perine is another veteran who will compete with Ward for a roster spot.

Like most former undrafted free agents, Ward had to use special teams expertise as a path to get playing time in the NFL. He accumulated 553 special teams snaps in his first four seasons, and he’ll have to prove his value on those units again if he expects to be on the 53-man roster this season.