1 Wild Statistic To Know For New Lions’ RB David Montgomery

The Detroit Lions shook up their backfield this offseason, signing running back David Montgomery away from the Chicago Bears. The two sides agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with $11 million guaranteed.

David Montgomery will have some big shoes to fill as he will be taking the spot of Jamaal Williams in the lineup. Williams agreed to a three-year deal worth $12 million with the New Orleans Saints.

At first glance, it seems to be a pretty even swap by the Lions. Williams was excellent at finding the end zone last season, leading the league with 17 rushing scores. While David Montgomery didn’t find himself in the end zone as frequently, in large part because of the presence of Justin Fields, their career stats are similar.

Both would be regarded by some as power backs, as David Montgomery averaged 3.9 yards per rush in his career and Williams averaged 4.0. Both have some receiving skills as well, with nearly identical numbers in that regard, too. 

An underrated part of David Montgomery’s game is his work in pass protection, while Williams filled that role with the Green Bay Packers. But, if there is one area that the Lions will benefit most from this swap, it is elusiveness. While not regarded as a shifty running back, David Montgomery is a tough player to tackle. 

In 2022, David Montgomery was tied for the highest forced missed tackle rate among all backs with at least 125 carries. His 0.31 was tied with Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns for tops in the league in 2022.