Baltimore Ravens’ primary running backs Derrick Henry (RB1) and Justice Hill (RB2) watched the team win the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles from the sidelines. Head coach Jesse Minter plans to keep them away from the field for the remaining preseason games to avoid injuries before the regular season begins. Fifth-round rookie running back Adam Randall started the game, leading the team with 46 rushing yards and a touchdown, while undrafted rookies Elijah Tau-Tolliver and Dontae McMillan combined for 19 carries and 82 yards on the ground.
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Rasheen Ali, the third running back on the depth chart, suffered a setback during training camp in early August. He missed consecutive practices leading up to the preseason opener and was ultimately ruled out for the game. With all three healthy running backs absorbing contact against the Eagles, the front office moved quickly. The following morning, D’Ernest Johnson, Jared Chisari, and Jonathan Ward were brought in for private workouts. Ward beat out the other two and secured a practice squad contract, adding a familiar face to the running back room.
Bringing Ward in makes sense. He spent time on Baltimore’s practice squad last, and knows the system and the staff without needing to start from scratch. Unlike the three rookies who handled the workload against the Eagles, Ward brings genuine NFL experience to the room. Since going undrafted with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020, he has bounced around to the Jets, Titans, Giants, Patriots, and Steelers, appearing in 46 regular-season games and carrying the ball 22 times for 91 yards at 4.1 yards per carry.
His last regular-season action came with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, where he appeared in four games before being released the following June. He never made a 53-man roster last year, bouncing between the Giants and Patriots practice squads before landing back in Baltimore. Before the NFL, Ward had a productive college career at Central Michigan, where he produced 3,446 total yards and 32 touchdowns across four seasons, earning second-team All-MAC honors in 2017 and third-team All-MAC recognition in 2019.
Ward only just joined the team, so he will spend the week getting up to speed on the offensive system under coordinator Declan Doyle. In the meantime, Adam Randall will remain the starting running back for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, with Ward expected to see action in the second half.
The Ravens haven’t disclosed the nature of Rasheen Ali’s injury, and Ward’s signing suggests he could miss more than a few games. When Ali does return, the running back room will be genuinely crowded, and the competition for a spot on the 53-man roster will be fierce.
Baltimore Ravens aren’t taking any chances
After Skylar Thompson’s undisclosed injury landed him on season-ending injured reserve in early August, the Ravens moved to add depth at quarterback by signing Austin Reed, a name Declan Doyle knows well. The two crossed paths in Chicago, where Doyle served as offensive coordinator under Ben Johnson in 2025 while Reed was on the Bears’ practice squad. That familiarity almost certainly played a role in bringing Reed to Baltimore.
Tyler Huntley (QB2) started at quarterback against the Eagles. After playing 15 snaps, Joe Fagnano took over, followed by Reed to close out the game.
Considering Thompson’s injury is season-ending, Reed has a real chance to make the 53-man roster, provided he outperforms Fagnano over the remaining preseason games.
Fagnano made the most of his opportunity against the Eagles. The undrafted rookie logged 51 snaps, completing 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown.
Reed logged 14 snaps, completed both his passes for 14 yards, and had one moment that turned heads. He set a UFL single-season record with 21 touchdown passes for the Dallas Renegades this spring, and against the Eagles he showed why. With 5:07 left in the game, he scored a 14-yard untouched touchdown that gave Baltimore a 24-0 lead.
This isn’t Reed’s first NFL opportunity. He spent parts of two seasons with the Chicago Bears, but Chicago’s crowded quarterback room never had room for him on the 53-man roster. The Ravens, with Doyle already familiar with his game, are betting he’s ready for a bigger role.
The front office is leaving nothing to chance, addressing depth at every position as the regular season approaches. Unlike Reed, Ward hasn’t played in a Ravens uniform this year, and that changes Saturday against the Vikings.