The decision to cut ties with Blue and Mafah led the Dallas Cowboys to Emari Demercado, whom they claimed on waivers after he was released by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke glowingly of Demercado even though the veteran RB was only with the franchise for a couple of months. But do Chiefs fans share Reid's sentiment? They sure do.
Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict, FanSided's devoted Chiefs site, acknowledges that Demercado didn't have room to "blossom" in a crowded backfield, but he also believes that Kansas City could have found a role for Demercado's unique skill set.
On the other hand, Demercado was more than just a redundant skill set in a crowded room. He was another explosive back who could threaten defenses as a fresh rotational option to ease the burden on a lead back who'd never been tasked with lead reps before.
(Emmett) Johnson still has yet to take his first official snaps, so leaning on him so heavily is a risk itself. And Demercado was the best pass protector of any of them."
The Cowboys should feel great about landing RB Emari Demercado on waivers
Conner's reaction to losing Demercado says it all for the Cowboys. While nobody in Kansas City is rioting outside of Arrowhead, his release generated a surprising amount of fanfare for a player who was buried on the depth chart. Those fans recognize the team let a quality player out of the building.
Demercado is exactly what Dallas wanted in a rotational back. Whether he is the backup to Javonte Williams or RB3 behind Malik Davis, he's going to have an important role.
As Conner noted, Demercado is very willing and capable in pass protection. He's very much like Williams in that department -- willing to put his body on the line to protect his quarterback. Davis is willing, but his 205-pound frame makes it a little challenging.
Demercado is 10 pounds heavier with a more compact build. It might not seem like much, but it's a big difference.
As a runner, Demercado is as patient as he is decisive. It's not easy for RBs to strike that balance, but the 27-year-old identifies creases early and lowers his shoulder. He's quicker than he is fast, but he can pull away from defenders if he gets into open space.
Emari Demercado has quietly been a prolific NFL running back
It's easy to see why Demercado has had so much success in his career.
Over three seasons in Arizona, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry. That's a testament to his vision and patient running style, but also to his ability to keep his feet churning after contact.
Among running backs who logged at least 44 carries last season, Demercado ranked first with 5.52 yards after contact per attempt, per Pro Football Focus. He's averaged a remarkable 4.87 YCO per carry across 126 career attempts.
For perspective, dating back to 2023, that mark would've led all qualifying running backs in every season except 2023, when Dolphins star De'Von Achane averaged 5.12 YCO per carry.
Demercado doesn't have the build to be a bellcow, and that's OK. Plenty of running backs have carved out successful careers in secondary and tertiary roles.
As Conner's headline reads, the Chiefs "took a calculated risk" by cutting Demercado. They'd better hope that one of Emmett Johnson or Brashard Smith executes their roles with aplomb.
Demercado is returning to a scheme he’s thrived in before and is stepping into the most talented offense of his career.
How Dallas plans to divvy up touches between Williams, Davis, and Demercado remains to be seen, but they didn't cut Joe Milton to get Demercado on the 53 for him to ride the bench.
Calculated risks are part of forming an NFL roster (see Dallas waiving Joe Milton), but his career efficiency and track record in this system point to Demercado making the Chiefs regret letting him go.
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