Ravens add a seventh-year journeyman to their dangerously thin backfield

The Baltimore Ravens have signed veteran running back Jonathan Ward, a move that adds a seventh-year journeyman to a running back room that is notably thin on proven experience behind its top two options. The signing was reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC Houston. Ward, who is 28 years old, spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squads of the New York Giants and New England Patriots, never appearing in a regular-season game. His addition comes at a time when the Ravens' depth chart at the position is heavily reliant on unproven talent.

The circumstances leading to this signing are rooted in significant offseason roster changes and the natural aging of the team's star player. The Ravens' primary running back is Derrick Henry, a dominant force who will be 33 years old by the conclusion of the upcoming regular season. While Henry remains the unquestioned starter, his age introduces a level of risk and a need for reliable depth. The situation was further complicated by the departure of Keaton Mitchell, the team's second-choice back from the 2025 season, who signed with the Los Angeles Chargers during the offseason. This left Justice Hill, primarily a third-down and change-of-pace back, as the only other established veteran in the room.

Beyond Henry and Hill, the Ravens' running back depth chart is composed almost entirely of recent draft picks and undrafted rookies. The realistic options for the third and fourth spots include Rasheen Ali and Adam Randall, who were fifth-round draft selections in the 2024 and 2026 NFL drafts, respectively. While both players possess potential, they have minimal professional experience. The remainder of the seven-man depth chart is filled out by undrafted rookies Dontae McMillan and Elijah Tau-Tolliver. The signing of Jonathan Ward, therefore, is a low-risk transaction designed to inject a measure of veteran experience and competition into a group that is otherwise extremely young and untested. Ward is not expected to be a contender for a starting role, but he provides a known quantity for training camp and the preseason.

The consequences of this move are subtle but strategically important for the Ravens. For Ward, this represents a seventh opportunity with a different NFL team in six years, a testament to his persistence and value as a special teams contributor and depth player. He originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020, where he played 32 games over two and a half seasons, primarily on special teams, and recorded 33 rushing yards and one receiving touchdown. His subsequent career has been a series of short stints with the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and practice squad roles. For the Ravens, the signing does not preclude them from seeking a more impactful addition to the backfield, but it does provide immediate insurance. It adds a player familiar with NFL systems to a room that desperately needs it, mitigating the risk of relying solely on rookies should an injury occur to Henry or Hill. The move underscores the front office's quiet acknowledgment that the current depth behind their aging star is a significant vulnerability.