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Steelers sign RB Davenport
PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have brought back a familiar face to deal with their sudden dilemma at running back.

The team on Wednesday signed Najeh Davenport to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 29-year-old played the last two seasons with the Steelers but was released in June.

The Steelers' running back situation went from bad to worse Monday when Rashard Mendenhall suffered fractured his shoulder in a 23-20 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

The rookie, who has been placed on injured reserve and is out for the season, was seeing increased playing time only because starting running back Willie Parker is out with a sprained knee.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Parker will miss this weekend's game at Jacksonville and likely will return in Week Seven, following the Steelers' bye.

During his two seasons in Pittsburgh , Davenport rushed for 763 yards and seven touchdowns on 175 carries, and caught 33 passes for 394 yards and three scores. He also returned 28 kickoffs for 571 yards.

The 6-1, 250-pound bruiser, who spent the first four years of his career in Green Bay, has rushed for 14 touchdowns and averaged 4.7 yards per carry over six NFL seasons.

The Steelers (3-1) finished Monday's game with just one healthy running back - Mewelde Moore - after Carey Davis left the game with a sprained ankle.

In addition to Davenport, the team also signed running back Gary Russell to a one-year contract.

A second-year player who originally made the Steelers roster in 2007 as an undrafted rookie free agent, Russell was with the team for the first two games of the 2008 season before being released on September 20.

The Steelers also announced that offensive guard Kendall Simmons has been placed on injured reserved with a season-ending Achilles injury.