After conflicting reports that star running back David Montgomery had requested a trade from the Detroit Lions, a move has been made. The Lions have agreed to trade Montgomery to the Houston Texans at the start of the new NFL calendar year.
Initial reports indicated the Lions traded Montgomery to Houston for a fifth-round pick, but it was a more complex deal.
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Detroit received a fifth-round value in return for Montgomery, which includes a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2026 seventh-round pick, and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs.
The new league year officially starts on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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David Montgomery Trade Fallout
Nov 23, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) enters the field prior to the game against the New York Giants at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
Montgomery is one half of the Lions’ dynamic running back duo with Jahmyr Gibbs, but has taken a backseat to the 2023 No. 12 overall pick. Gibbs was nicknamed “Sonic,” while Montgomery was known as “Knuckles” during their time together in Detroit.
Last season, Montgomery carried the ball 158 times for 716 yards and eight touchdowns.
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Before trading for Montgomery, the team was expected to release veteran running back Joe Mixon, and that writing on the wall is even clearer now.
Releasing Mixon as a pre-June 1 release would save $8 million in salary cap space for 2026, with a dead cap hit of $2 million. As a post-June 1 release, the numbers would be the same, without a dead cap hit in 2027.
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