HOUSTON - The Texans made a major move Monday morning to reshape their offensive backfield.
They agreed to trade for Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery in exchange for offensive guard Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round selection and a seventh-round pick, per league sources.
This move has been in the works for a while, per sources.
Montgomery, a 716-yard, eight-touchdown rusher last season for the Lions working behind star runner Jahmyr Gibbs, had wanted to be traded to have an expanded role. Montgomery is a bruising, tackle-breaking 5-foot-11, 230-pounder who can run inside effectively. His nickname is "Knuckles," and Gibbs is "Sonic."
Montgomery is happy with the trade, per sources. He issued a lengthy goodbye to the city of Detroit and Lions fans hours after the trade, writing: 'There is something special about the people here. The resilience. The loyalty. The way you don't just support someone, you ride with them. I have felt that from each of you, and I will never take that lightly. This isn't goodbye because something ended. It's goodbye because something grew. And growth sometimes calls us forward.'
The emergence of Gibbs led to a reduced workload for Montgomery, who had 158 carries last season. A former Chicago Bears third-round draft pick, Montgomery has rushed for 6,115 career yards and 59 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns his first season in Detroit in 2023 and 775 yards and 12 touchdowns two seasons ago. His career-high for rushing yards is 1,070 yards in 2020 in Chicago, his second season in the league.
Montgomery finished his Lions career with 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in three seasons. He had 1,015 yards, the second most of his career, in 2023.
"This guy, he's a heck of a back," Lions coach Dan Campbell said at the NFL scouting combine prior to the trade. "And so we'll just, we'll see where everything's at. Certainly there's been healthy conversations. David's a pro, so we'll figure this out."
Now, he joins the Texans and will work in tandem with second-year running back Woody Marks.
Marks rushed for a team-high 703 yards last season, but, ideally, is a complementary back in a pass-catching, third-down role.
Montgomery, 29, is due a nonguaranteed $5.49 million base salary this year and $7.49 million in 2027 with void years in 2028 and 2029. Plus, $1.75 million of his 2026 salary becomes fully guaranteed the third day of the league year. The contract isn't expected to be immediately addressed, but is likely to be adjusted at some point, per league sources.
Montgomery played in every game last season. He caught 24 passes for 192 yards on 29 targets. He has 231 career receptions for 1,890 yards and four touchdowns.
The Texans are expected to move on from former Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon to save $8 million. Mixon is dealing with a "tough, complicated" foot injury, per league sources, that cost him an entire season and has reached a career crossroads that has cast his future in doubt.
He recently underwent surgery, per Texans general manager Nick Caserio, during an interview with Houston reporters at the NFL scouting combine.