Emari Demercado has only been with the Dallas Cowboys for about a week, claimed off waivers last Monday.
But despite his recent arrival, the former Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs running back shouldn't be assumed as the last man on Dallas' depth chart. Given his experience and play style, Demercado may very well challenge Malik Davis for the primary backup role.
Malik Davis is the Cowboys' backup RB right now by default
It's easy to summarily decide that Demercado is RB3.
After all, Davis became the primary backup last year, then fought off Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda throughout the offseason to seemingly keep that job. He was the only backup RB that Dallas kept at final cuts and was praised heavily by Brian Schottenheimer and others for his work ethic and professionalism.
But Dallas' disappointment with Blue and Mafah's development doesn't necessarily mean they're high on Davis. Remember, Davis has been around since 2022. As an undrafted rookie, he's done remarkably well to stay on the Cowboys' radar and find increasing responsibility. But year after year, Dallas has generally preferred other guys like Rico Dowdle and Miles Sanders for backup duties.
Food for thought: if Blue and Mafah had stepped up this summer, would Davis even still be here?
Of course, Davis is to be commended for his resilience. But when the Cowboys made their cuts last weekend, was he really the RB2 they wanted, or just the only backup RB they thought was worth keeping?
Emari Demercado seems like a better version of Malik Davis
When Dallas added Demercado, his profile immediately sounds like a prototypical backup for Javonte Williams. He's a patient runner with good vision, not adverse to contact while also having breakaway speed. He's also a proficient receiver and pass blocker, both especially valuable for whoever spells Williams on third-down plays.
Demercado is also noted as a "four-core" special teams player, meaning he can play on every unit. This is also a positive point on Davis' resume, further showing their similarity.
Background wise, Davis went undrafted in 2022 and Demercado just a year later. They're even close in age, with Davis just about two months older.
But there are things that separate them. Demercado lists at about 10 pounds heavier than Davis, while also being an inch shorter. This helps explain why he has more power in his game and superior prowess as a blocker.
Experience is the key difference in Demercado's favor. Despite having one year less in the NFL, Demercado has way more playing time: 652 career offensive snaps to just 234 for Davis. And while new to Dallas, Demercado even has more exposure to Klayton Adams from the two years (2023-2024) they were together in Arizona, versus just one year for Davis.
Indeed, Adams is likely a big reason that Demercado became a Cowboy this week.
All of this points to a very possible ascension for Demercado from the waiver wire to the primary backup job in Dallas. It may not happen immediately: Davis has the more current time in Adams' system, which wasn't even fully deployed in Arizona, as he was just the offensive line coach and assisted with run-game design.
But if Demercado's experience and strengths provide immediate results, it's possible he will prove to be an upgrade over more than just the young RB prospects that Dallas just discarded. Malik Davis has had to fight for his NFL life for five years now, and Demercado just might be the next challenger.
Add us as a preferred source on Google