Dallas Cowboys claim RB Emari Demercado off waivers

All of a sudden, the Dallas Cowboys’ running back room looks quite different. Less than 24 hours after waiving 2025 draft pick Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, the Cowboys have claimed Emari Demercado off waivers.

Demercado signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. He did not make the roster and was placed on waivers. This is after beginning his NFL career in the desert with the Arizona Cardinals. There, Demercado played in 40 games with two starts. Arizona gave him 126 carries for 819 yards and three touchdowns.

“I like the pass protection,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Demercado during training camp. “He’s not gonna bounce anything or do any of that. He sees it, and then he lowers it and he hits it in the run game, and I think that’s important. Pass routes are pretty good. He’s played, he’s got experience. It’s just pushing yourself through this workload.

The exact plan for Demercado has not yet been revealed. Dallas opens the season on Sunday, Sept. 13, on the road in the Meadowlands. A bitter NFC East rival will be the opponent, once again facing the New York Giants in Week 1.

More on Dallas Cowboys running back situation

Dallas opted to keep two true running backs on its initial 53-man roster. Javonte Williams is going to be the starter, hoping to have another 1,000-yard season. Malik Davis earned his spot as the backup throughout training camp and preseason games. And then there is Hunter Luepke, who plays a few different roles for the Cowboys. Every once in a while, Luepke will receive carries, but more often than not, he serves as a fullback.

Blue and Mafah were both late-round picks, and many inside the building hoped they would turn into contributors on the roster. Unfortunately, neither one ever worked out. Blue played his college ball in the Lone Star State at Texas, while Mafah was drafted out of Clemson.

“I didn’t start off like I should have,” Blue said of himself this offseason. “Maybe if it was not practicing the right way or just on a maturity level, I think I wasn’t really there. But just learning from all the vets, having the offseason that I’ve had, I think I’m ready to go. Just looking back on the things I didn’t do too well and some of the reasons I wasn’t on the field last year, taking the stuff my coaches were saying and making sure I apply them, whether that’s this offseason or when I’m by myself.”