Detroit Lions News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6). Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Pros and Cons of Lions Signing RB James Conner

Originally posted on Detroit Lions on SI
By Christian Booher | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 8:55 AM ET

The Detroit Lions made a big move Monday, trading veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans.

In a deal that landed the Lions two picks and a veteran offensive lineman in Juice Scruggs, the Lions officiall disbanded what had been one of the more productive backfield duos in recent years of Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

This move had some to do with Montgomery taking a true backseat to Gibbs over the course of the year, rather than their traditional complimentary partnership. Now, the Lions will be in the market to find another back who can help spell Gibbs at times.

One potential option to replace Montgomery could hit the free agent market soon, as the Arizona Cardinals are reportedly expected to release James Conner in a cost-cutting move. This would create a similar partnership to what Detroit had previously with Montgomery and Gibbs, and makes plenty of logical sense.

Should Conner hit the open market, he has a strong connection to Detroit through the team's new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Prior to coming to the Lions, Petzing spent the previous three years as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator and Conner had plenty of success under his watch.

An injury limited Conner to just three games in 2025, but he went over the 1,000-yard plateau in his two previous seasons under Petzing's watch. With the Lions' identity being in the run game, and Campbell seemingly excited about Petzing's schemes in this area, Conner could be the perfect quick study to add to the offense to spell and complement Gibbs.

It's no secret that Gibbs is tough to take off the field with his explosiveness and big play ability every time he touches the ball. However, the Lions were able to maximize him by limiting the tread put on his tires and at times riding the hot hand in Montgomery.

While the partnership with Montgomery had apparently grown sour, there's no doubt that a veteran presence in the backfield to pair with Gibbs would be solid for the offense. The big questions will pertain to Conner's market should he hit free agency and his healthy.

MORE: Grading Lions' Trade Haul for David Montgomery

Part of the reason the Lions were inclined to move on from Montgomery was the fact that he had two more years on his contract, and the thought of paying him as well as a potential market-setting extension for Gibbs as soon as this offseason made little financial sense.

As a result, the Lions likely won't feel inclined to spend big on an external running back. Yet, Conner could wind up being the perfect buy-low candidate coming off an ankle injury. General manager Brad Holmes has signed several players of this ilk during his time with Detroit, and Conner could become the latest example.

Conner is two years older than Montgomery, so workload and the amount of career carries he has are certainly questions the Lions will have to confront. However, he has been slightly more productive with a career average of 4.4 yards per carry compared to Montgomery's 4.1.

The tie to Petzing could also be a real factor, as Petzing could find it ideal to install an offensive scheme featuring a running back who has already been familiar with his scheme.

If the Lions' biggest concern with Montgomery was a potential decline in productivity, then it wouldn't be wise for them to go against that with an older Conner. There are several intriguing options in the draft who could catch the Lions' eye, such as Penn State's Nicholas Singleton who the Lions met formally with at the Combine.

However, if it was a situation where Montgomery was disgruntled with his role, then replacing him with a veteran of similar style makes sense.

Conner runs with a power similar to Montgomery, and still has breakaway speed. With his ties to Petzing and the overall intention to run the ball effectively from the Lions' perspective, there's a lot to like about the potential pairing.

Ultimately, the thought of pairing Gibbs with a contrasting power back with more experience like Conner makes plenty of sense. It would give the team a veteran capable of taking the heavy load off the star running back, while also adding a productive back with familiarity in their new coordinator's scheme.

This article first appeared on Detroit Lions on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: