Archer: Cowboys could reunite with Demercado

Demercado will need to contribute on special teams to be active on game day, and he might also need David Montgomery (groin) to remain sidelined after the Week 8 bye. Demercado does not need to be added in 12-team leagues.

It’s not the first time they’ve done so this season, so we’re not exactly sure that Demercado is done here. However he was a healthy scratch last night and the Cowboys are looking at activating some players off IR, so it’s possible if Demercado stays it’ll be as part of the practice squad.

No real surprises here after KaVontae Turpin was ruled out earlier in the week, with the biggest impact being how the team will handle kick and punt returns on special teams. The Cowboys continue to inch closer to full strength as they near the half way point in the regular season, desperately needing a win over the shorthanded Eagles to keep pace in the NFC East.

Tyler Goodson has had the RB2 role for the past couple of weeks and is set to continue now that Demercado was waived to make room for Tyler Smith to come off injured reserve. Demercado has now been waived twice in two months, and though he may be claimed again, he could also wind up on a practice squad next week.

Goodson will backfill the roster spot lost to placing Malik Davis on IR at the end of last week. It’s unclear whether Emari Demercado or Goodson would be the head of a committee if Javonte Williams were injured, as both of them showed up with the Cowboys after last cuts. Neither player is a must-roster as things stand.

It is unclear whether this is a season-ending injury or if Davis has a chance to return later in the year. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier that the Cowboys were “bracing for an extended absence” and that a source told him, “it’s bad.” It sounds like Davis’ 2026 season may be over. Cowboys RB Emari Demercado now sits behind starting RB Javonte Williams, and RB Israel Abanikanda is on the practice squad.

Regarding Davis’ injury, Fowler’s source said simply, “it’s bad.” The Cowboys’ No. 2 running back is undergoing further testing, but we expect them to place him on injured reserve before long. The Cowboys waived RB Jaydon Blue and RB Phil Mafah last month. Blue has since signed with the Eagles’ practice squad. The Cowboys have RB Emari Demercado on the active roster behind RB Javonte Williams. Currently, only RB Israel Abanikanda is on the practice squad in Dallas.

Hill was quickly ruled out for Week 1. Dallas cut Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue at the end of camp, briefly leaving Davis as the only backup running back on their roster. They eventually signed Emari Demercado after he was released by Kansas City. If the injury is serious, the Cowboys could bring either Mafah or Blue back, given their familiarity with the system. The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins reported shortly afterward that Davis has suffered a hip injury, though no further details were given.

Demercado enters a wide open backfield depth chart behind starter Javonte Williams and primary backup Malik Davis, the two of whom were the only running backs to survive 53-man roster cuts Sunday. It does not appear the Cowboys are finished adding to their backfield, with most teams keeping four running backs on the active roster throughout the season. More to come.

Demercado’s departure leaves rookie RB Emmett Johnson and second-year RB Brashard Smith to back up starting RB Kenneth Walker. The Chiefs also waived DE Vincent Anthony, LB Kam Arnold, WR Andrew Armstrong, WR Wesley Bissainthe, DT Cole Brevard, WR Jason Brownlee, WR Jacob De Jesus, OT Ethan Driskell, WR Omari Evans, OT Chukwuebuka Godrick, LB Cam Jones, WR Xavier Loyd, S Tanner McCalister, DT Amari McNeill, C Pete Nygra, RB Jaydn Ott, DT Damon Payne, CB D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, TE Mason Pline, S DeShon Singleton, CB Melvin Smith, EDGE Tyreke Smith, OG Josh Thompson, CB Zelmar Vedder, TE Tre Watson and WR Jeff Weimer. The Chiefs released LB Cole Christiansen, CB Kaiir Elam, CB Kader Kohou and EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah. The Chiefs placed DT Omarr Norman-Lott (knee) on the reserve/physically unable to play list and WR Jimmy Holiday on injured reserve. The Chiefs also waived OG C.J. Hanson, QB Chris Oladokun and RB EJ Smith with injury designations.