Steelers Release Guard Rashaad Coward

The Pittsburgh Steelers have released guard Rashaad Coward, the team announced on Saturday.

Coward, who had yet to play in a game for the Steelers, had been dealing with an ankle injury that had limited him in practice this week.

Coward came to Pittsburgh as a free agent this spring on a one-year deal after four seasons with the Chicago Bears. He started training camp as the starter at left guard, a position he eventually yielded to second-year man Kevin Dotson, after he returned from injury.

The team cut Coward at the outset of training camp but then re-signed him before the first week of the regular season. B.J. Finney and J.C. Hassenauer have been the team’s primary backups at guard.

As a vested veteran, Coward will not go through waivers and is free to sign with any team he wishes.

Coward was released in order to make room for wide receiver Cody White on the active roster.