Lions Trade RB David Montgomery to Texans for OL Juice Scruggs, Two Picks
The Detroit Lions are trading running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.
The Lions will receive a fourth-round pick, OL Juice Scruggs, and a seventh-round pick in return for Montgomery, bringing an end to a suddenly dramatic offseason saga that played out over just a matter of days.
Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, is set to make $5.49 million in 2026, the first year of a two-year, $18.25 million extension he signed with Detroit in October 2024.
Montgomery spent three seasons in Detroit after signing with the Lions as a free agent in 2023, establishing himself as one of the more reliable running backs in the NFC. But his role steadily eroded as second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs continued to emerge as one of the league’s best young running backs.
Last season, Montgomery appeared in all 17 games and rushed for 716 yards and eight touchdowns, respectable numbers by most measures. But the context told a different story. He carried the ball just 158 times, the fewest rushes of his career, and recorded only 182 total touches. After averaging 14.4 rushes per game and 16.3 touches per game in his first two seasons with the Lions, those figures dropped to 9.3 and 10.7, respectively, in 2025.
Montgomery played 41 percent of Detroit’s offensive snaps overall, but that number fell to 33 percent in Weeks 11 through 18, per ESPN Research. He failed to reach double-digit carries in any of the Lions’ final eight games.
Montgomery was unhappy with the reduced workload but did engage in what was described as “healthy dialogue” with Lions general manager Brad Holmes this offseason while weighing whether to push for a trade or remain in Detroit. As recently as last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, Holmes expressed a desire to keep Montgomery on the roster.
“Obviously, look, we love David. He’s a great player. We would love to have him,” Holmes said. “Kind of want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward. But a player has to want to be at a certain place as well, so those conversations are still fluid.”
One day before the trade was announced, Montgomery publicly denied reports that he wanted out of Detroit. By Monday morning, he had a new team.
A Crowded (Uncertain) Houston Backfield
Montgomery arrives in Houston to join a backfield in transition. Rookie Woody Marks emerged as the Texans’ lead back during the second half of the 2025 season, finishing with 703 rushing yards in what was an encouraging debut campaign. Marks shared carries with veteran Nick Chubb for much of the year before taking over the starting role around Week 10. Chubb, who finished with 506 rushing yards on the season, is now a pending unrestricted free agent heading into the offseason.
The bigger shadow hanging over the Houston backfield is Joe Mixon, whom the Texans acquired via trade from the Cincinnati Bengals roughly two years ago. Mixon missed the entire 2025 season due to a foot injury, and his status heading into the 2026 season remains uncertain.
Montgomery’s addition gives the Texans an experienced, physical complement to Marks and addresses a genuine need at a position that was thinned considerably by injury and age last season.
Houston moved Tytus Howard, also?
Montgomery is the second major move Houston made on Monday. The Texans also agreed to send offensive lineman Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick, making Scruggs’ departure to Detroit part of a sweeping reshaping of Houston’s offensive line in a single afternoon.