The Kansas City Chiefs entered this offseason looking to improve their running game. That was evident after they signed Super Bowl 60 MVP and Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker to a three-year, $43.05 million contract. Adding Walker added some serious spark to the Chiefs' offense, after their rushing attack averaged just 106.6 yards per game (eighth-lowest in NFL). It explains why the Chiefs pivoted away from keeping the likes of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt.
But the Chiefs were not done overhauling the running back room, as they made a sneaky signing late on Thursday night.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Chiefs signed former Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado to a one-year contract. The Cardinals was initially a restricted free agent, but the team decided not to use the tender on him, allowing him to hit free agency.
Chiefs add former Cardinals running back Emari Demercado on one-year contract
The Chiefs needed to add some more depth on the roster with Walker entering his first season as the team's undisputed starter. The Chiefs decided to continue looking for running backs in the NFC West and decided to bring in Demercado from the Cardinals.
Demercado joined the Cardinals in 2023 as an undrafted free agent out of TCU, where he primarily spent his time as a bench option. He did receive two starts in the 2023 season, rushing for 58 yards on 13 carries in a 20-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and picking up 78 yards on 20 carries in a 31-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Since then, Demercado didn't receive another start.
This past season, Demercado ran for 312 yards on 44 carries, while catching 13-of-20 targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. In his three seasons in Arizona, Demercado ran for 819 yards and three touchdowns on 126 carries, while hauling in 50-of-70 targets for 324 yards and a touchdown.
The Cardinals already made it evident they were ready to move on from Demercado, which became more evident after they signed former Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier. Now, Demercado gets a new opportunity, where he'll work with Andy Reid, take hand-offs from Patrick Mahomes, and learn from offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is renowned for his work coaching up running backs.