Lions may look to trade undervalued RB to fix their roster

"Those are conversations that we're going to have to have because got a lot of respect for that player," Holmes said via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "He deserves to be in a situation where his skill set can be utilized. And so yeah, would love it for it to be here, but if it can't be here, then you would have to just see what you can work out the best for him."

Montgomery had a great season despite losing touches to the Lions' emerging star back, Jahmyr Gibbs (1,223 yards and 18 total touchdowns). Though Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards (158 carries), he still managed to rush for eight touchdowns. 

Detroit Lions could look to trade David Montgomery to help upgrade their defense

The Lions, despite their flaws, had one of the better and more dynamic offenses in the NFL in 2025, ranking fifth in total yards (373.2) and third in passing yards (253.1). However, their defense was a different story, ranking in the middle of the pack (18th, 331.9 yards), while their pass rush was the worst part of their game, as they were 20th in passing yards allowed (217.4).

Finishing tied for fourth with the divisional foe Minnesota Vikings in sacks (49.0), the Lions finished behind the Atlanta Falcons for takeaways (+5) and were one of the worst teams at forcing fumbles (six total on the year). With head coach Dan Campbell slowly getting himself on the hot seat, the Lions need to hit big with their moves this offseason.