No. 1 on the list of reasons the Detroit Lions have gone from laughingstock to having an envied core of talent is how well the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell regime has done in the draft. The top tentacle of that is a subsequent commitment to that core of players, with ongoing contract extension business on the docket for the foreseeable future.
With that core set in place, it's also hard for any bold trades to be made. Keeping the pipeline of younger, cheaper talent filled means hanging onto draft picks, and there just aren't big roster voids that neeed to be filled with notable veteran players.
So as Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report made a run at naming one player for each NFL team who could be a top offseason trade chip, finding someone who fit the bill for the Lions had to be difficult.
Lions' top offseason trade candidate could eventually make a lot of sense
Gagnon tabbed running back David Montgomery as the Lions' most valuable offseason trade chip.
"The Lions are pretty locked in with little obvious wiggle room. In a perfect world, a rookie such as Tyleik Williams or Isaac TeSlaa would free them up to unload a veteran starter, but that hasn't happened. The only absolute luxury they have is two stellar running backs, and it would be ridiculous to deal Jahmyr Gibbs."
READ MORE: Jahmyr Gibbs is a virtual slam-dunk to surpass Lions' legend and set NFL record
The root of Montgomery as a potential offseason trade candidate is his age. He will turn 29 before the 2026 season starts, and he is on track to have over 1,500 carries in his career before this season is over.
Through the first nine games this season, Montgomery has seen his snap share reduced in favor of Jahmyr Gibbs, who has proven more than worthy of the increase he has seen. In Week 10 against the Washington Commanders, Montgomery had more than a 45 percent snap share for just the second time all season.
The two-year contract extension the Lions gave Montgomery in October of 2024really boiled down to being a one-year commitment beyond the original three-year deal he signed in 2023. $1.75 million for 2026 that was guaranteed for injury at the time he signed his contract becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the league year, and a pre-June 1 trade would leave behind more dead money than it would create in cap savings.
As more contract decisions loom, the Lions might have to find small margins to create some financial breathing room. Trading Montgomery during the offseason would land with a massive thud within the fanbase, but his place on the running back age curve and a declining role could land him in that conversation.