Cowboys bring back Emari Demercado, add Wanya Morris to practice squad

The Dallas Cowboys are making two back-end roster moves as the preseason phase gives way to the regular-season push. Pro Football Rumors reported that the Cowboys claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers and planned for him to join the team, a move that also reunites Demercado with Klayton Adams, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. Adams and Demercado were both connected to the Arizona Cardinals during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, creating a clear linkage in Dallas’ personnel decision-making.

Demercado’s return to the Cowboys’ orbit matters because it is not just a standalone signing. Reuniting a play-caller with a player from the same previous coaching ecosystem often suggests the team believes the player’s running style, pass-protection habits, or route usage fit a specific offensive framework. According to the same report, the Cowboys submitted what it described as a successful waiver claim for the running back Monday, setting up the possibility that Demercado could compete for depth behind Dallas’ established options.

In a second transaction, Dallas also signed offensive tackle Wanya Morris to its practice squad, according to Pro Football Rumors. The report characterizes the move as Morris headed to a third team in three months, indicating a season-long challenge for a young roster piece to find stability. Practice squad assignments, particularly for offensive linemen, typically serve a dual purpose: adding depth during the rigors of camp and preparing players for potential activation if injuries or matchups require it.

The Demercado and Morris additions also reflect the Cowboys’ ongoing roster management priorities at a time when teams are balancing immediate needs with longer-term development. Running backs and tackles often see rapid turnover during the final weeks before the regular season, especially when teams want multiple looks in preseason packages or want extra insurance for the most strain-prone positions.

The report further notes that Dallas made “another tackle addition,” though it does not fully detail the identity or terms beyond the Morris practice squad signing. For now, the most verifiable pieces of this week’s Cowboys news are the waiver claim for Demercado and the practice squad move for Morris, both of which point to the team emphasizing depth at skill positions and the offensive line.

As always with roster claims and practice squad transactions reported by outlets tracking transactions, confirmation and role clarity can depend on official team releases and final camp evaluations. Until the Cowboys provide formal roster annotations, the practical question will be how Demercado and Morris perform in Dallas’ system and whether the coaching staff views either player as a short-term solution or a longer-term developmental piece.

What to watch next is straightforward: whether Demercado’s skill set translates quickly to Adams’ offensive cadence, and whether Morris’ progress as a tackle prospect translates into tangible practice reps that could elevate him beyond the practice squad. Dallas’ decisions at these positions could also shape how the Cowboys manage their midseason flexibility, particularly if injuries force changes in the rotation.