Andy Reid’s comments on Emmett Johnson explain one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ most surprising decisions from roster cuts
Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed that pass protection was the main factor behind rookie RB Emmett Johnson’s emergence as the team’s RB2. It also explains why Emari Demercado is now playing in Dallas.
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t make many shocking decisions during 53-man roster cuts. However, one move caught the fanbase by surprise.
Emari Demercado, one of the team’s signings in free agency, was waived during the cutdown to 53 players. Demercado was one of the team’s big mysteries heading into training camp. He saw little action in preseason Week 1, which only amplified the mystery. It felt like he might’ve taken a back seat to rookie RB Emmett Johnson as the preseason progressed.
That much was apparent through the stat lines alone. Johnson recorded 26 attempts for 123 rushing yards (4.7 ypc average) and one touchdown. Demercado had just 17 carries for 64 yards (3.8 ypc average). Demercado was supplanted as the team’s No. 2 running back, but it had little to do with the rushing numbers.
Emmett Johnson’s emergence as a pass protector is what made Emari Demercado expendable
The Chiefs’ decision seems to have come down to pass protection. Asked what stood out about Johnson over the last few weeks that led to the team’s confidence in him, Reid pointed to his ability to protect the quarterback.
“Yeah, well, I would tell you this: pass protection,” Reid explained. “We knew he could run the ball, but the thing we had to see was pass protection, and for him to be that number two back, you’ve got to be able to do that. And he was a smart kid, and he was willing to stick it up in there. So, did a nice job of it.”
Demercado was widely considered the team’s most proven commodity as a pass protector and third-down running back. That changed during training camp and the preseason, given the outcome at roster cuts. The analytics support it as well, as Johnson was one of the most positively graded pass protectors at running back this preseason, per PFF. He allowed no pressures on four pass-blocking attempts this preseason and earned an 80.2 grade.
Johnson knew pass protection was as important to his contribution as running and pass-catching. He treated it as such during training camp and the preseason, and now he’s the team’s No. 2 running back because of it.
“Like I said, it’s just as important as running the football, catching the football, and you know, as you can see today, I’m just getting better and better at it every single day,” Johnson explained in early August. “That’s something that I take big pride in because I got to protect (Patrick Mahomes) and protect everybody else as well. But yeah, man, pass pro is something that I feel like you’ve got to want to do it, and I feel like I want to.”
