On Monday, March 2, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the Detroit Lions will trade running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. In return, they’re getting offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick.
So, it’s fair to say that March came in like a lion for the Detroit Lions. Now, the team is saying farewell to a beloved player, but they’re getting something in return.
Montgomery has been with the Lions for three seasons, clocking 2,500 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns, according to NFL research. He’s a veteran presence on and off the field. But, for the past two seasons, his production went down, as Jahmyr Gibbs advanced.
As part of the deal, the last two years of Montgomery’s contract will be transferred to Houston, so they’ll get an elite running back for just $18 million over the next two seasons. It’s a deal for the Houston Texans, but what about the Detroit Lions?
David Montgomery Trade is About the Future of the Detroit Lions
While it’ll be difficult to see a veteran like Montgomery go, what the Detroit Lions did in this trade is prepare for the future and stock up future assets, because they got draft picks.
They could have kept Montgomery on the roster, which would cost funds and a roster spot, but instead, with this trade, they picked up two draft picks from Houston. Those draft picks are valuable assets, because draft capital is essentially currency in the NFL.
So, the Detroit Lions traded a veteran running back whose role was shrinking for options to build the team in the future. Each draft pick that the Detroit Lions get helped them build for the future and also do so with cheaper rookie deals. So, they’re buying time and choices, even though it means saying goodbye to Montgomery. The deal will likely become official when the NFL’s free agency period starts, according to Alternative Fix, on March 11.
This reporter grades the trade an A- for the Detroit Lions.
David Montgomery Trade is About the Future of the Detroit Lions
What a difference a week makes. Just last week, during NFL Combine, general manager Brad Holmes talked about Montgomery and sounded positive.
“We love David,” Homes said last week, according to Pro Football Talk. “He’s a great player. We’d love to have him. Kind of want to put last year in the rear view and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be in a certain place as well. So, those conversations are still fluid, and we’re just trying to see how it goes.”
Mark Schofield of SB Nation believes the trade is a better deal for Detroit than Texas. In a fature out on Monday, March 2, right after the deal, he gives the trade a B- grade for the Texans.
“Heading into the NFL offseason, one of the biggest question marks was how the Texans were going to shape their offensive line, and help C.J. Stroud,” he states in the piece. “Bolstering their running game does seem like a smart move — and Montgomery will help in that effort — but a running game is often only as good as the five men up front along the offensive line.”
He adds that “Howard and now Scruggs on their way out of Houston, two more pieces of that offensive line room have been removed from the board. That brings the grade down a bit, because we are left wondering how the Texans will shape their offensive line ahead of the new season.”
Lions Trade David Montgomery: Why It’s Great News for Detroit