Getty Tom Brady's quarterback coach, Clyde Christensen, has promising comments about Brady amid a 5-5 start.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a change in the backfield amid a record-low rushing attack with 61.9 yards per game.
Tampa Bay trading for recent 1,000-yard running back David Montgomery of the Chicago Bears could make sense, CBS Sports’ Brady Quinn says. The Bears are in a rebuilding season where acquiring draft capital for a skilled player in his contract year makes sense, Quinn noted. Quinn added that Montgomery “would complement” Fournette in the backfield.
“And maybe that improves the rushing attack to provide a little bit more balance for the Bucs,” Quinn added.
DAVID MONTGOMERY WON’T GO DOWN 😤
Montgomery cracked the “Top 100 Players in 2022” list, and Cincinnati Bengals Mike Daniels called him a “a swiss army knife” during the NFL Network segment. Daniels describes Montgomery as someone who “has such great core strength” and is tough to bring down amid breaking tackles. Daniels noted Montgomery’s swiftness, too.
Montgomery rushed for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020 followed by 889 yards and six touchdowns in 2021. His 2022 season has dipped while sharing the backfield with Khalil Herbert, who has 563 yards and four touchdowns thus far. Montgomery has 361 yards and two touchdowns.
He averages 3.9 yards per carry for his career, and he can make plays in the passing game. Montgomery has 134 catches for 1,059 yards and three touchdowns in his four-year career.
The Bucs need to do something. Fournette averaged three or fewer yards per carry in all but two games thus far. Running rookie Rachaad White more often might not solve the problem amid his three yards per carry average. Quarterback Tom Brady notably has the third-most carries on the team.
Bucs Lavonte David Likes Montgomery’s Skill Set
Similar to Daniels, Bucs linebacker Lavonte David’s talked about Montgomery’s skill set during the NFL top 100 segment.
“I feel like he’s a tough runner. He’s elusive. He can make you miss, and he can run you over,” David said via NFL Network.
David Montgomery barrels in to extend the lead for the Bears! 💪
Montgomery, 25, will make $2.79 million for the Bears this season in the final year of his contract per Spot Trac. The Bears have a salary cap hit of $3.05 million with Montgomery’s contract per Spot Trac. The Bucs have $3.4 million in salary cap space, per Spot Trac, but also face multiple needs amid a 3-5, injury-riddled season.
While the Bucs could send draft picks to the Bears, adding running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn to the deal could help make it happen. Adding Vaughn would clear $1.46 million in cap space for the Bucs per Spot Trac, and it would give the Bears another running for the team’s two-back set.
Bucs Risking to Stay Put?
Greg Auman of The Athletic noted that the Bucs may not prioritize a move at running back as things have stayed stagnant since training camp. The Bucs have Giovani Bernard on injured reserve and Patrick Laird on the practice squad. Laird hasn’t been called up this season.
Tampa Bay stuck with the same group despite “more viable rushing threats” hitting the waiver wires since August, Auman noted. The Bucs insider noted “it’s more like they try to improve the blocking”, but he doesn’t anticipate “great” improvements by the current Bucs backs.