Pittsburgh Steelers release Jacoby Jones, sign Ross Ventrone

After several horrible games and another few on the bench, returner Jacoby Jones was finally released. With a spot on the roster free, the Steelers signed safety Ross Ventrone.

Ventrone is a familiar name in Pittsburgh. He has been in the league since 2010 when he was picked up by the New England Patriots after going undrafted. In 2013, he was signed by the Steelers, released at the end of August, and then signed to the practice squad in December.  Ventrone saw most of his NFL playing time in the 2014 season with the Steelers when he played in nine games.

Most recently, Ventrone was cut to make room for Martavis Bryant, who missed the first four games due to a suspension. Ventrone spent a few weeks on the New England Patriots practice squad before heading back to the Steelers practice squad on December 29.

Ventrone has bounced between the Patriots and Steelers for years. With only one game left in the regular season, it is unlikely Ventrone will find stability. Nonetheless, the Steelers secondary needs a boost and Ventrone is not a stranger to the Steelers system.

Fans and pundits have wondered for weeks why Jacoby Jones was still taking up a spot on the roster, especially with the number of fumbles and lame plays he had after he took over for Dri Archer.

This last-minute adjustment will not cure the woes of special teams or the secondary, but it is a sign the Steelers are putting some thought into their Week 17.