The Detroit Lions are breaking up Sonic and Knuckles.
The Lions have agreed to trade running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round selection, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero reported Monday.
Montgomery has been the subject of trade rumors following a down season in which the Lions leaned more heavily on starter Jahmyr Gibbs in 2025. Despite playing in 17 games for the first time in his career, Montgomery earned a career-low 716 yards on 158 carries with eight touchdowns. Conversely, Gibbs saw 243 totes, going for 1,223 yards.
“Please know this: Everything I do next carries a piece of Detroit with it,” Montgomery posted on his social media account after the trade news. “The work ethic. The edge. The heart. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for walking this chapter with me.”
Following the season, during which the Lions finished fourth in the NFC North, word spread that Montgomery was frustrated with his role in the offense and hoped to find a landing spot where he could see a heavier workload.
Enter Houston.
The Texans struggled to find traction on the ground in 2025, tied for 29th at 3.9 yards per attempt. The issues in Houston were two-fold: An offensive line that struggled to create holes and a running back group that proved inconsistent.
With Joe Mixon out all season, the Texans leaned on rookie Woody Marks, who flashed playmaking ability but was inefficient, generating 3.6 yards per carry on a team-high 196 totes. Veteran Nick Chubb earned 506 yards on 122 carries in 15 games with three scores, but is still slowed by his devastating 2023 knee injury. The Texans were particularly woeful in short-yardage and goal line situations.
A gritty runner, Montgomery is a trusty plow who can run through arm tackles and consistently falls forward. He is also capable as an outlet receiver. Montgomery should immediately aid in the red zone.
Since 2023, Montgomery has generated 33 rushing scores, sixth among RBs. The Texans, in that same span, have 34 rushing touchdowns, tied for fifth-fewest, per NFL Research.
Pairing Montgomery and Marks gives a good one-two punch out of the backfield. The offensive line, however, still needs upgrading. In addition to shipping out Scruggs, a former second-round pick who started just one game in 2025, the Texans traded versatile starter Tytus Howard to Cleveland on Monday.
Montgomery has two years remaining on his contract, with base salaries of $5.49 million in 2026 and $7.49 million in 2027, but no guaranteed money remaining. The move saves the Lions roughly $3.5 million on the cap. Later on Monday, Detroit saved an additional $5.5 million in cap space by releasing longtime offensive lineman Graham Glasgow.
The trade breaks up one of the most potent backfield combinations in the NFL and signals a massive workload for Gibbs at this point. With former fourth-rounder Sione Vaki the main backup remaining on the roster, Detroit is now in the market for a low-cost bruiser in free agency or in the draft to pair with Gibbs. The 23-year-old is also eligible for an extension.
The addition of Scruggs, who didn’t live up to his draft status in Houston, gives the Lions another option on the interior of an O-line that needed rehabbing this offseason. It’s a decent flier for Detroit general manager Brad Holmes, but shouldn’t hinder further upgrades, especially considering Glasgow's departure.
The Lions added two additional picks to the eight they already owned in 2026, but still have just two in the top 100 selections.