“I wasn’t thinking, I was just reacting,” Demercado said, via Darren Urban of the team’s site. “It was a big confidence booster for me.”

Demercado is currently third on the Cardinals’ depth chart at running back behind James Conner and Trey Benson. The third-year back said he isn’t pleading for more carries. 

“I’m not that guy, ‘I need more carries, I need more carries,’” Demercado said. “Honestly, I didn’t think I’d be here.”

Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon praised Demercado’s performance following their preseason victory. 

“He’s a good football player and he wears a lot of hats,” Gannon said. “He’s quiet, but he competes every day, he goes about his job. He’s a pro. He showed up tonight.”

Rams

Former North Carolina G Willie Lampkin had five years of starting experience, along with being an All-American and winning the trophy for the ACC’s best offensive lineman. Yet he still went undrafted, after measuring in at 5’11, 279 pounds during the combine.

“I thought he did a nice job,” HC Sean McVay said of Lampkin, via Pro Football Talk. “Obviously, he has great leverage, can get underneath people and be able to finish. That was what you loved about him at North Carolina, but just a competitor. He’s tough, he’s physical. He understands how to play to his strengths. I think he’s done a really good job, I thought a lot of guys did a nice job, but I was pleased with Willie.”

Seahawks

Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II is entering the second year of his career after being a first-round pick in 2024. Veteran DT Jarran Reed said Murphy has been showing signs of growth and maturity this offseason. 

“I definitely see growth and confidence in his play,” Reed said, via Brady Henderson of ESPN. “He’s taking the next steps that we need him to take. He’s taking charge, he’s speaking more, he’s being more outspoken, he’s giving them hell on the offensive line. It’s what we like to see.”

Murphy suffered a hamstring injury in Week 3 of last season that caused him to miss three games. Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald praised him for returning to play at a high level following his injury. 

“The thing about Byron that we have to remember was that this guy was having a tremendous training camp last year,” Macdonald said. “That’s a tough thing to come back through and play at a high level at the end of your rookie year. Still played at a high level I thought throughout the season, but he felt kind of a different level that he’s able to get to, and that’s what gave us confidence of what he could become. I think he’s doing that again, probably even to another level. Being here in the offseason, I think was really helpful for him. I think he’d say that. I think it’s evident how hard he worked this summer, coming back in really good shape. He’s really becoming the player that we expected and had a vision for him. We’ve got to go make it happen now.”

Murphy said the game has slowed down for him going into 2025 and feels like he’s reading things much faster compared to this point last year. 

“I feel like where I’m at now mentally-wise, the game has slowed down a lot for me,” Murphy said. “So I’m able to pick up things faster, read things faster, read formations and just see my ops out there so I can take them. And also too, body-wise, I’m good, I’m ready to go, I’m fit and I’m ready for the season.”