Texans Trade for David Montgomery

The Houston Texans' acquisition of David Montgomery was part of a broader offensive shake-up, as the team also traded offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick, and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Detroit Lions. Contrary to initial reports, offensive tackle Tytus Howard was not part of the Montgomery deal; he was traded to the Cleveland Browns in a separate transaction for a fifth-round draft pick. Montgomery is coming off a 2025 season where his role in the Lions' backfield diminished with the emergence of Jahmyr Gibbs. Despite playing in all 17 games, Montgomery recorded a career-low 158 carries for 716 yards and eight touchdowns. In his two seasons with Detroit prior to the down year, he rushed for a combined 1,790 yards and 25 touchdowns. The trade signals a significant workload for Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit, who logged 1,223 rushing yards on 243 carries in 2025. For the Lions, the move also provides salary cap relief, saving them approximately $3.5 million. The team further cleared cap space by releasing veteran offensive lineman Graham Glasgow. In Houston, Montgomery is expected to become the starting running back, addressing a key need for an offense that ranked 22nd in rushing in 2025. The Texans' running game struggled, with Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon missing the entire season with a foot injury. The addition of Montgomery will likely lead to the release of Mixon, which would save the team $8 million in cap space. The Texans' offensive line, which struggled in 2025, is undergoing a significant overhaul. The departure of both Howard and Scruggs, a former second-round pick who started just one game in 2025, leaves Houston with only four offensive linemen from their active roster under contract for the 2026 season. For the Lions, acquiring Juice Scruggs adds depth to their interior offensive line, a stated priority for the offseason. Scruggs, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, started for most of the 2024 season at center for the Texans before being moved to guard. Montgomery has two years remaining on his contract, with base salaries of $5.49 million in 2026 and $7.49 million in 2027, though none of the remaining money is guaranteed. In a corresponding move to solidify their offensive line, the Browns signed Tytus Howard to a new three-year, $63 million extension as part of their trade with the Texans.