Emari Demercado has been in Dallas for barely a week, but the Cowboys should not be treating him like a throw-in at the bottom of the running back room.
Claimed off waivers last Monday, the former Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs back already looks like someone who can push for more than a third-string spot. The real question in Dallas is whether he can climb past Malik Davis and take over as the primary backup behind Javonte Williams.
Davis has that job right now, at least on paper and by default. He held onto the role after beating out Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, and Israel Abanikanda through the offseason, then stood as the only backup running back Dallas kept at final cuts. Brian Schottenheimer and others also praised his work ethic and professionalism.
Still, the Cowboys’ disappointment with Blue and Mafah doesn’t automatically mean they’re locked in on Davis. He’s been around since 2022, and while he’s done well to stick on the roster as an undrafted rookie, Dallas has often preferred other backs for backup work, including Rico Dowdle and Miles Sanders.
That leaves an obvious question hanging over the position: if Blue and Mafah had shown more this summer, would Davis still be here?
There’s no denying Davis’ persistence. But there’s also a strong case that he may have simply been the last backup standing when the Cowboys made their cuts.
Demercado fits the mold of a backup for Javonte Williams. He runs with patience and vision, isn’t afraid of contact, and brings breakaway speed. He can also catch the ball and protect the quarterback, two traits that matter a lot when a team wants a reliable third-down option behind its starter.
He brings special-teams value, too. Demercado is a “four-core” player, which means he can line up on every unit. That same quality is part of Davis’ appeal, which makes the comparison between the two even tighter.
The similarities go beyond role. Davis entered the league as an undrafted player in 2022, while Demercado did the same a year later. They’re also close in age, with Davis just about two months older.
But there are clear differences. Demercado is listed at about 10 pounds heavier and an inch shorter than Davis, a build that helps explain why he plays with more power and looks stronger as a blocker.
The biggest edge for Demercado is experience. Even though he has been in the league for one fewer year, he has logged 652 career offensive snaps compared with Davis’ 234. He also has more familiarity with Klayton Adams from their two years together in Arizona, from 2023 to 2024, than Davis has from his one season with Adams.
That connection likely played a major role in Dallas bringing Demercado aboard this week.
Nothing says he has to pass Davis immediately. Davis does have more recent time in Adams’ system, even if that system wasn’t fully in place in Arizona, where Adams was the offensive line coach and helped with run-game design.
But if Demercado’s experience and skill set start showing up right away, he could end up being more than just another waiver claim. He may be the next real challenger to a running back who has spent the last five years fighting to keep his NFL job.
In Other News...
Malik Davis Adds One Wrinkle To His Surprise Cowboys Rise
Malik Davis preseason became a small but notable storyline for the Cowboys, especially as the running back room kept shifting around him. With Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah both part of the roster conversation, Davis managed to secure the backup role behind Javonte Williams, giving Dallas a little more clarity in a spot that had looked unsettled not long ago.
The final wrinkle came after the preseason ended, when the NFL fined Davis $6,735 for unnecessary roughness because of illegal use of the helmet against the Arizona Cardinals. He was the only Cowboys player fined over that stretch, a reminder that even a rise up the depth chart can come with a little extra attention attached. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Head Into Week 1 With One Risk Fans Can't Ignore
The Cowboys spent much of their offseason making the kind of practical, cap-conscious moves that suggest a front office trying to balance the present with what comes next. Rather than chase more offensive line help for the 2026 season, Dallas is betting on internal growth, with Tyler Guyton among the players expected to take a step forward. The club also reworked the contracts of DaRon Bland and Jake Ferguson to open up space, a set of decisions that helped steady the ledger even as they carried their own questions.
For now, the reaction around those moves has been mostly positive, which says something about how far a little financial breathing room can go with this fan base. Still, the Cowboys are entering Week 1 with the same kind of risk that tends to linger beyond the numbers on a spreadsheet, especially when the plan depends on players developing on schedule and the lineup avoiding unnecessary setbacks. Malik Daviss preseason fine for illegal helmet use was a minor footnote, but it served as a reminder that the margin for error is already thin before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Are Finally Treating One Neglected Position Very Differently
The Cowboys spent the 2026 offseason making a point of fixing a spot that has too often been treated like an afterthought. By signing free agents Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, then trading up in the draft to take Caleb Downs, Dallas made it clear it wanted more than depth at safety. It was a notable shift for a franchise that has historically put very little into the position over the past three decades.
For a team built under Jerry Jones, the level of urgency stood out as much as the names themselves. These moves amount to one of the most aggressive attempts the Cowboys have made to upgrade safety, and they suggest the front office finally sees the position as something more than a place to patch holes. The bigger question now is whether this reset can change the way Dallas defends the back end, and how quickly the new pieces can justify the investment. [Read more 🡒]