The Baltimore Ravens are adding some experienced depth to their running back room.
Baltimore worked out three running backs Sunday — D'Ernest Johnson, Jonathan Ward and Jared Chisari — and ultimately signed Ward, according to the NFL transaction wire. The move comes as Rasheen Ali has missed recent practices and Baltimore's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens did not play Derrick Henry or Justice Hill in the preseason opener, leaving Adam Randall, Elijah Tau-Tolliver and Dontae McMillan to handle the running back workload. All three received between nine and 12 carries in Baltimore's 24-7 victory.
Ward is a familiar name for the Ravens. He spent time on Baltimore's practice squad last season, giving the team some familiarity with his skill set and allowing him to step into the organization without having to start completely from scratch. The 28-year-old has bounced around the NFL since signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He has also spent time with the Jets, Titans, Steelers, Giants and Patriots. Before entering the NFL, Ward was a productive player at Central Michigan. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards during his sophomore and senior seasons and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2017 and third-team recognition in 2019.
Ward has appeared in 46 regular-season games, recording 22 carries for 91 yards along with six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. The signing gives Baltimore another experienced option while the team monitors Ali's status and continues evaluating its younger backs.
Ward now has another opportunity to turn familiarity with the Ravens into a chance to stick around.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens sign veteran RB Jonathan Ward after workout