Emari Demercado arrived in Dallas as a late waiver claim from the Kansas City Chiefs, a TCU product brought in for depth and special teams behind Javonte Williams and Malik Davis. Within days of the opener, that third-back job became something larger.
Davis is expected on season-ending injured reserve after a hip injury and surgery, DallasCowboys.com and ESPN reported, and Demercado is the back most clearly next on the active roster for Sunday Night Football at the Giants.
The Cowboys' own site noted Demercado's return to North Texas as a Horned Frog alum ready to contribute alongside Williams and Davis. With Davis out, that contribution is no longer a contingency plan.
How the job opened
Davis was carted off Friday's outdoor practice at The Star. The session was non-contact and only slightly above a walk-through, Nick Eatman wrote. Hip surgery followed Saturday on the team-site timeline, with season-ending IR expected. ESPN's reporting, citing a source, matched the Saturday surgery and IR path and ruled Davis out of the Giants opener.
"Very disappointing. Malik's done everything the right way. He's such a good person off the field, he works his ass off, he's come from nowhere to be our No. 2 back, and he's done it the hard way," Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan.
"Now unfortunately, I think he's looking at a pretty serious injury. So disappointed for Malik. Obviously tough for our team, but like anything it's next man up."
What Demercado brings
ESPN outlined Demercado's Cardinals career: 819 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 126 carries, plus 50 receptions for 324 yards and a touchdown. That stretch overlapped with Klayton Adams's time as Arizona's offensive coordinator - the same Adams now calling plays in Dallas.
The claim off Kansas City's waiver wire after cutdowns was a bet on that familiarity and on a back who can catch as well as run.
Israel Abanikanda remains on the practice squad as a possible elevation. Hunter Luepke covers fullback and short-yardage looks. Jaydon Blue is on the Eagles' practice squad, and Phil Mafah is unsigned, so the internal ladder above Demercado is short.
