The Detroit Lions may be looking to potentially trade running back David Montgomery following a season in which they finished 9-8 and failed to reach the NFL Playoffs.
Based on recent rumors, Montgomery wants a trade out of Detroit due to his reduced role with the team. Once a top running back for several teams, he took a backseat to Jahmyr Gibbs, who has emerged as the team’s main option at back.
Gibbs, a three-time Pro Bowler, had his second-best season as a member of the roster, with 243 carries for 1,223 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. He achieved a career-high 77 receptions for 616 yards and five touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Montgomery’s numbers declined over his three seasons with Detroit, and he also recorded zero starts for the first time in his NFL career.
According to Sleeper NFL (via Jeremy Fowler), the 28-year-old running back wants the trade due to his reduced role with the team amid Gibbs’ emergence as a superstar.
Based on the word out of Indianapolis, where the NFL Draft Combine is occurring, the Lions would want “a decent day 3 pick” in the upcoming NFL Draft. That would potentially be a fifth-rounder for Detroit, and one potential suitor might be the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Fowler’s details suggest that if the Seahawks are unable to re-sign Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, then Montgomery could be a good option for the reigning champions to acquire via trade.
Montgomery is now in his seventh season after joining the Chicago Bears back in 2019. His best career numbers came in his second season with the Bears, with 247 carries for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns. Montgomery also had 54 receptions for 438 yards and four touchdowns.
After several seasons rushing for under 1,000 yards in Chicago, he joined Detroit and achieved his second-ever 1,000-plus yard season. The team also looked like a potential Super Bowl contender several seasons ago, but faltered this past season.
With Gibbs' emergence as the Lions’ top option, Montgomery has rushed for under 800 yards in his past two seasons, so a new team could be beneficial for him and the squad he lands with.
For more about the Detroit Lions and the NFL, head over to Newsweek Sports.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.