The Houston Texans claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, one day after Dallas let him go for the second time this month.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the claim. Houston opened the roster spot by placing wide receiver Jaylin Noel on injured reserve.
Noel got hurt on a fourth-quarter kickoff return in Sunday’s 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Giants and was in a walking boot after the game.
“Jaylin Noel had a turf toe injury,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s still being evaluated.”
Wednesday’s move keeps the 2025 third-round pick out of Iowa State out for at least four games.
David Montgomery, acquired from the Detroit Lions in an offseason trade, left the 26-3 win at Tennessee on Oct. 11 with a groin injury. He has missed both games since.
“We’ll see how he continues to progress,” Ryans said Oct. 12. “Right now, we’re looking at a week-to-week injury there.”
In the same availability, Woody Marks got the backfield.
“Woody did a great job,” Ryans said. “He stepped in, he had some explosive runs. He’s made some dynamic cuts, played with great vision, good balances. He’s done a great job all season as well. So, he carried that load for us. We’ll continue to see more of that.”
Against the Giants, Marks ran 19 times for 66 yards and caught one pass for 15. He briefly left in the third quarter with an apparent leg injury before returning.
Dare Ogunbowale was the only other running back active Sunday. Jawhar Jordan, who ran six times for 43 yards and a touchdown in the Week 6 win over Jacksonville in London, went on the practice-squad injured list Oct. 21 with a quadriceps injury.
Demercado, 27, saw limited work in Dallas. He ran five times for 15 yards in two appearances. When the Cowboys visited Houston on Oct. 4, he was a healthy scratch. Dallas first waived him Oct. 8 before bringing him back to the 53-man roster.
Arizona signed Demercado as an undrafted free agent out of TCU in 2023. In 40 games for the Cardinals over three seasons, he picked up 819 yards and three touchdowns on 126 carries. He also caught 50 passes for 324 yards and a score.
His 312 rushing yards in 2025 were a career high. He reached them on 44 carries over 13 games, adding 13 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Demercado has also returned six career kickoffs for 150 yards.
Arizona declined to tender him as a restricted free agent in March, and he signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City waived him at the Aug. 30 roster cutdown, and Dallas claimed him the next day.
Houston has given no public indication of how it plans to use Demercado. The Texans are on their Week 8 bye.
Should Montgomery’s groin injury linger past the break, Demercado would be one of three healthy running backs on the 53-man roster, alongside Marks and Ogunbowale.
The Texans, 2-5 after Sunday’s loss, visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 8 at 4:05 p.m. ET.
