The Detroit Lions are breaking up one of the NFL’s most productive backfield duos, trading running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans in exchange for interior lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round selection, NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero reported Monday.
Montgomery, 26, had been the subject of trade speculation following a down 2025 season in which rookie Jahmyr Gibbs assumed a heavy workload. Despite appearing in all 17 games for the first time in his career, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards on 158 carries with eight touchdowns. Gibbs, by comparison, carried the ball 243 times for 1,223 yards.
Sources indicate Montgomery was frustrated with his role and sought a team where he could handle a bigger workload. Enter Houston, which ranked tied for 29th in rushing at 3.9 yards per carry last season. With Joe Mixon out for 2025, the Texans leaned on rookie Woody Marks (196 carries, 3.6 yards per attempt) and veteran Nick Chubb (506 yards, three touchdowns), but both struggled to sustain consistency. The team also struggled in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
Montgomery’s bruising, forward-leaning running style, combined with his reliability as an outlet receiver, should immediately help Houston in the red zone. Since 2023, he has tallied 33 rushing touchdowns, sixth-most among NFL running backs, compared with Houston’s 34 in the same span, tied for fifth-fewest, per NFL Research. Pairing Montgomery with Marks gives the Texans a versatile one-two punch, though the offensive line remains a work in progress after trading to Cleveland and moving Scruggs out of Houston.
Montgomery has two years remaining on his contract with base salaries of $5.49 million in 2026 and $7.49 million in 2027, but no guaranteed money. The move saves Detroit roughly $3.5 million on the salary cap.
For the Lions, the trade signals a larger role for Jahmyr Gibbs. With former fourth-rounder Sione Vaki as the primary backup, Detroit will likely pursue a cost-effective bruiser via free agency or the draft to complement Gibbs.
The addition of Scruggs provides Detroit with interior offensive line depth, giving GM Brad Holmes a low-risk option to bolster a line in need of improvement. The Lions also added two extra draft picks to their 2026 haul, though only two fall inside the top 100 selections.
