Detroit Lions Trade David Montgomery to Houston Texans

By Richard Janvrin | Mar 03, 2026, 9:09am

The Detroit Lions made one of the biggest trades of the NFL offseason thus far, sending running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for a fourth and seventh-round draft pick along with offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. Below, we’ll sort through what this means for the Lions’ running back situation behind Jahmyr Gibbs and how this impacts the Texans and the AFC South as a whole.

Lions to Add Another Running Back?

With Montgomery being traded, the Lions receive $6 million in cap savings, but now need another back to complement Gibbs. The depth chart right now consists of Jacob Saylors, Sione Vaki, and Kye Robichaux – none of these players will fill into the role Montgomery had. All three have a combined nine carries in the NFL, so there should be an addition coming.

Across three seasons with the Lions, Montgomery averaged approximately 187 carries for 835 yards and 11 touchdowns per season. His workload did diminish with each passing year as Gibbs is developing more since his rookie season in 2023.

So, now what? Do the Lions add a running back in free agency? The 2026 NFL Draft? The top choice should be the draft. As of March 3, the Lions have two fourth and two sixth-round picks – key rounds to add another running back.

Some of the running backs that come to mind that fit the mold of Montgomery include Nicolas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, Mike Washington Jr., and Seth McGowan. All of these players are 5’11” or taller and around 220 pounds or more to give that physical presence in the backfield.

Of those, Allen feels like the player who fits the Lions and head coach Dan Campbell’s style, with his downhill running and willingness to take on defenders.

Houston Texans AFC South Odds

With Montgomery coming to the Texans, he’ll join a backfield to complement Woody Marks and one that will likely say goodbye to impending free agents Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon. Montgomery is coming off a season in which he had 158 carries for 716 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

He’s turning 29 in June, so he still has some gas left in the tank especially with Marks in the fold. According to the books, the Texans have the best odds to win the AFC South at .

They still have question marks along the offensive line, which will be key in helping Montgomery’s production. However, if they can address that, get healthy at wide receiver (including Tank Dell), and find a way to get quarterback C.J. Stroud back on track then this will be a team to fear – especially with their defense.

AFC South Winner: Texans or Jaguars?

The Jaguars are coming off an AFC South title and will look to defend it next season and hold off the Texans. Examining both teams, the feeling is that Jaguars are slightly better. While the Texans have a dominant defense, we’re still not sure what to think of Stroud or their offensive line.

The addition of Montgomery will be helpful, but if the offensive line and quarterback play aren’t there then some of the potential gain from adding Montgomery will be mitigated.

Meanwhile, the Jaguars’ offense under Liam Coen was rolling, and expect Brian Thomas Jr. to be back on track with an underrated receiving core in him, Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers and the return of Travis Hunter.

So, the addition of Montgomery was great to solidify the backfield but the Texans still have more work to do.

Richard Janvrin

While attending the University of New Hampshire and pursuing a degree in English/Journalism, Richard Janvrin landed his first paid writing role, creating fantasy football and NFL content for Bleacher Report. After three years with the company, he expanded into the sports betting and iGaming space as legalized online wagering grew across the United States. Richard’s first role in the sports betting/iGaming industry came with Gambling.com, where he continues to contribute today. What began as a side hustle eventually turned into a full-time freelance career, leading to opportunities with outlets such as The Game Day, BetMGM, Forbes, LegalSportsReport, Lineups, and Pro Football Focus, among others. With more than a decade of professional writing experience, Richard has covered a wide range of topics, including sportsbook and casino reviews, prediction analysis, emerging prediction markets, and lottery coverage. His goal is to present complex subjects in a clear, engaging, and easy-to-understand format for readers of all experience levels.