Houston Texans Acquire David Montgomery in Trade with Lions

The Houston Texans have acquired running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round selection, sources confirmed Monday.

The move positions Montgomery as Houston’s projected No. 1 back entering the 2026 season while signaling a shift in Detroit’s backfield structure.

Houston Addresses Ground Game Woes

The Texans entered the offseason intent on upgrading a rushing attack that ranked 22nd in yards per game (108) in 2025. Rookie Woody Marks led the team with 703 rushing yards but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, while veteran Nick Chubb remains a free agent. Houston also expects to move on from Joe Mixon after he missed the entire 2025 season with a foot injury.

Montgomery brings proven production and short-yardage reliability. Over three seasons in Detroit, he totaled 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns. Since 2023, his 33 rushing scores rank among the league’s top marks at the position. He is set to earn $5.49 million in 2026, the first year of a two-year extension signed in October 2024.

At 29 in June, Montgomery offers a physical, between-the-tackles presence that complements Marks’ versatility. For a Texans offense that struggled in goal-line and red-zone efficiency, his downhill style fills a clear need.

Lions Reshape Offensive Identity

The trade breaks up Detroit’s “Sonic and Knuckles” pairing of Montgomery and Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs. While Montgomery averaged 14.4 carries per game in his first two seasons with the Lions, his role diminished in 2025. He logged a career-low 158 carries and played just 41% of offensive snaps, a figure that dipped to 33% over the final eight weeks.

Montgomery acknowledged his reduced workload and posted a farewell message to fans, writing that everything he does next “carries a piece of Detroit with it.”

Detroit gains interior line depth with Scruggs while adding draft capital as it looks to rebuild protection up front. The Lions ranked 20th in run block win rate and 30th in pass block win rate last season, prompting broader offensive line changes that also included the release of veteran Graham Glasgow.

For Houston, the deal underscores an aggressive approach to supporting its offense with a dependable feature back. For Detroit, it signals full commitment to Gibbs as the centerpiece of its rushing attack moving forward.