The Texans are not finished on the trade front. A much-anticipated running back addition is now being lined up, with another member of their offensive line set to play elsewhere. 
David Montgomery is heading from Detroit to Houston, as first reported by Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In return, the Lions will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, along with fourth- and seventh-round picks (h/t Pelissero). The seventh-round selection is for the 2027 draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.
Houston was Montgomery’s preferred destination, Garafolo adds. He will now take on a prominent role in the backfield as the Texans look for improvements on the ground in 2026. Schefter’s colleague Dan Graziano recently named Houston as one of the teams likely to be active in March with respect to running back additions, so today’s news comes as no surprise. Montgomery in particular is a logical target in the Texans’ case given the fact he was seeking a fresh start.
Since the end of the 2025 campaign, a Montgomery trade has been a distinct possibility. Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs in place, and his fifth-year option is likely to be exercised. That would ensure at least two more years in the Motor City, but a long-term extension at or near the top of the RB market is expected to be pursued. Keeping Gibbs and Montgomery on lucrative deals would not have been feasible given the Lions’ other financial commitments.
Instead, Montgomery will prepare to play for a third career team in anticipation of a heavy workload. The former third-rounder averaged fewer than 12 attempts per game for the first time in his career last season. 2025 was also the first season in which he fell short of 1,000 scrimmage yards. That could soon change with the Texans set to see Nick Chubb reach free agency next week. Fellow veteran Joe Mixon missed all of 2025 through injury and has since undergone surgery. A release in his case should be expected as a result.
Woody Marks has three years remaining on his rookie contract, but bringing in a veteran to split carries with him has long been expected. Montgomery, who turns 29 in June, will be tasked with doing so. He is owed a base salary of $5.49MM in 2026 with a scheduled cap hit of $6MM. Montgomery’s pact runs through 2027, but whether or not he lands a new commitment by that point will of course depend on his performance in Houston.
The Texans’ offensive line will certainly look much different next season. Houston agreed to trade Tytus Howard to the Browns earlier today, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup. Scruggs was not a first-team presence in 2025, but losing him will ensure Houston’s depth along the interior will be altered when next season begins. One year remains on Scruggs’ rookie contract.
The former second-rounder will now look to compete for playing time in Detroit. The Lions were known to be in the market for additions at the left tackle spot but also on the inside. Scruggs, 26, has primarily played at left guard during his career but he saw notable time at center as well in 2024. The future of Graham Glasgow is uncertain at this point, and a release or retirement in his case could open to door to playing time for Scruggs ahead of free agency.
The Lions will look to improve up front in 2026 knowing a stronger O-line will go a long way in helping their offense (a unit which finished fourth in scoring this past year) become even more effective. A running back addition of some kind will be required as well, though, with Gibbs now in need of a new backfield partner.
I’d still rather have Monty, but that’s not a bad return for an aging rotational back coming off a bad season.
He’s definitely not a rotational back.
He was in Detroit
No, he was part of a tandem in Detroit until they got a new OC who Dan Campbell had to take the play calling from and subsequently utilized Montgomery plenty after that.
He’s easily among the best #2 backs in the league.
it was a really good tandem. but things are getting expensive in Detroit and Monty was a luxury. They can likely find a nice secondary back who can operate a little less than Monty while Gibbs takes on a little more. the production at the spot should still be high, but at a reduced cost.
You definitely haven’t watched him play.
I’ve watched him play since he was at Iowa State but hey nice try!
Well if you watched him when he was in college, then he must be a starter, because that’s how that works.
He was literally a feature back in Chicago, and it’s very obvious you don’t know or watch football so you overcompensate with weak and tryhard insults.
“He was literally a feature back in Chicago”
That was three full seasons ago, which is an eternity for an NFL running back. The lack of football knowledge combined with your constant petty insults leads me to believe you’re either a troll or 14 years old.
“ aging rotational back coming off a bad season.”
Wasn’t a bad season by any means
His role diminished but he still finished the year with
158 carries 716 yards (4.5 yards a carry) 8 TDs
If that’s aging rotational bad season production plenty of teams would love that kind of production from their RB2
Houstons perfect destination for him to complement Marks. He’ll probably get 250+ carries, 1000+ yards, 6 or more TDs next year with an increased role and stays healthy
I figured people were intelligent enough to understand “bad” based off his own career, not based off every backup running back in the league. I also said I would’ve preferred to have him back. Don’t be so sensitive.
Nobody is sensitive. You’re just wrong to call him a rotational back. Rotational backs don’t split carries and have 700+ rushing yards. They’re #3 backs.
If you want to say he had career lows, a down year, reduced production say those things. You don’t say he had a bad year to imply he had a good year with limited opportunities
People replying to your words and you having to further explain yourself is your own fault not theirs and means what you meant to say didn’t come across as you intended.
Don’t be so sensitive
He’s going to look awful with HOU’s OL.
It’s March lmao
We have free agency, the draft, and pre season before they take the field week 1.
How about we pump the breaks until they announce the starting 5 week one
They traded Howard’s contract saving 5 mill this year and 14 mill next year
They’ll cut Mixon and save anywhere between 8-10 mill
They can either trade or extend Schultz to help with his cap hit. Extending Al Shaair would also create cap space
They’ve got the 28th pick which they probably trade back from to get a 3rd 2nd rounder and additional picks
There’s moves to be made
“Aging rotational back.” Love these rationalizations
How many 29+ year old running backs in the NFL can you name who are considered “in their prime?”
@Kyle. He still has tread on the tires. Age doesn’t really matter its more about carries.
You’re right, he’s Benjamin Button and getting younger. Thanks for the clarification.
Plus he didn’t play nearly as much as you’d think in a timeshare with Gibbs.
How is almost 1,000 yards as a rotational RB2 a bad season lmao
He’s 52nd in yards from scrimmage, behind other rotational backs like monangai.
Because they used him that way doesn’t make his label “ rotational “ he’s more than capable of being the bell cow.
If Jamar Chase takes a few plays off does that make him a rotational receiver ?
He is a solid RB1 , not a rotational back. I’m not a fan of either team … Monty is good , Gibbs is great. That doesn’t make him rotational. This makes Woody Marks rotational which is more up his alley anyway
He WAS rotational with Gibbs and almost hit 1,000. That’s like saying a WR4 almost hitting 800 yards isn’t impressive. Like what?
@Sentinel. Agree age doesn’t matter when his legs are still fresh. Lions had to dump him because they are over the cap, and got a decent return.
Agreed Rex
He is only 28
Texans revamping the WHOLE offense. Get the Ravens C and the 49er’s LT.
I’d love to do that but how will they manage the cap and get those two and extend Will Anderson?
Good place for him, they badly wanted Mixon to return. Montgomery can contribute.
So they trade their most established offensive lineman right before he turns 30. OK. But then they turn right back around to trade the same draft capital for a running back who’s about to turn 29? I like Montgomery, but that’s odd team building.
My mistake. It’s even more draft capital.
Their best lineman last year was Ed Ingram who they got for practically nothing from the Vikings finishing 18th among guards.
Howard needed a new deal and just got paid what 21 22.5 mill a year? Certainly not worth that much money to invest long term when other more prominent guys need new deals.
Texans will be active in free agency, draft, and trade market to fix the oline. I’d love for them to bring in Kevin Zeitler for a year or 2. Stallwart G. Take a run at David Edwards from Buffalo who could be had near the same price as Howard potentially.
4th round pick for Montgomery is fine since he’s making 5.5 this year and 7.5 next year. They get him for 2 years locked in at a good price
To be clear, I’m OK with the moving on from Howard part and I agree with you about potential free agent targets on the line (though they don’t have much cap space next year, and they have to look at contracts for Stroud, Anderson, and Hunter). Trading picks for a 29 year old running back when the line is a mess strikes me as not great business. He’s got 7.5 coming to him when he’s one of the oldest running backs in football.
I’m also so unmoved by Ingram’s pass blocking that I’m not ready to give him that much credit just yet.
Last couple years they’ve opted to trade out of the first round for whatever reason
Couple years ago it was Vikings for 2 seconds
Last year it was Giants for their 2nd and 2 3rds
I’m sure they’ll trade back out of the first for a second and recoup the 4th they lost
They could also trade back from the WAS 2nd pick and recoup the 4th like NE did couple years ago swapping McConkey for Polk and a 4th that became Baker with LAC
So there’s options to get day 2 and 3 picks back
Monangai was better, cheaper, and went in the 7th. This RB class isn’t great, but you can still probably find equal value to Montgomery in the 4th.
Monangai is not better. He’s shown flashes but he’s still very unproven.
Texans love old RB’s.
They just needed to get their foot in the door.
Lol he’s not even that old. He’s got at least a few good years left.
“He’s got at least a few good years left” is not a statement you can realistically make about a 29 year old running back.
29 years old FFS.
It’s ok, my niece also knows nothing about football
Kid you don’t know me. Watch your mouth.
You’re the same guy who was insisting that AJ Brown doesn’t drop passes the other day, despite being shown video of him dropping passes. You actually don’t know anything about football.
20 something in the amount of years he’s played isn’t a lot but hey nice try!
It’s actually you who doesn’t know anything, and you prove this with every disrespectful comment about players based on literally nothing.
Yeah I’m gonna have to disagree, Oooof. Multiple backs similar to Montgomery have been good into their early thirties at the very least.
Here is a complete list of every running back who was 30 or over when this past season began who had at least 40 rushing attempts for the season: Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, and Aaron Jones.
Please provide a list of, “similar backs” that were good into their early 30s…
Not familiar with Scruggs. Will he be a potential OL starter or simply depth?
Texans already had one of the worst Olines in the league……
He’s been a reserve who can play multiple positions on the line, including center. He’ll probably compete for a starting job with a rookie somewhere and add depth. He’s also in the year of his contract while only counting pennies against the cap.
He was overdrafted as a center and had one stretch where he looked passable at left guard. He’s worth a look, but probably just a depth throw in.
Texans already had one of the worst Olines in the league already
Welp, guess I was wrong.
The Lions better hope they can find an adequate replacement for Montgomery because that offense flat out does not work with Gibbs getting the bulk of the carries and no big back to soften the defense.
Two years ago they traded up to draft Sione Vaki and announced him as a running back, but they’ve basically only used him on special teams. He’s nearly Montgomery’s size. I wonder if they’ll ever make him part of their RB plan.
He can’t stay healthy. I can’t imagine they enter camp with him as their #2
Looks like Chubb and Mixon will be moving on? Knuckles will help them but not a good line.
Mixon may never play again.
That’s kind of a lot to give up, but Montgomery is still good. I don’t blame Detroit at all for making this move.
Great trade for the Texans
Yeah, Marks and Monty should really make a great 1-2 punch. Just need to improve their OL though.
Buzz and Woody. Watch.
That’s definitely the understated part. This trade will only be as good as the line adjustments to help take advantage of it. The Lions got two picks out of Houston for Montgomery, so the Texans need to make sure that they can invest into the line adequately to compensate. The line was very disappointing before this trade; getting new players was a mistake as is, but now they need to not only upgrade, but replace former starters. Everything points to Houston giving that a shot. They just need to hit on the picks.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Texans make another trade or two to gather picks to aid in that effort. Caserio’s moves at offensive line the last two years have shown that he is trying to radically remake it. My guess, based on his approach here and in New England for years, is that he wants assets that he can hold for several years, or who will aid in long term development of young players, and not just quick band-aids.
I like the acquisition but it better be the 128th and not the 106th. You’re telling me that T. Howard is less valuable than Montgomery? (5th vs 4th+7th+Scruggs)
Juice, Kool-Aid, Sauce.
Why? These are grown men.
Because some people like to officially be called what people who know them actually call them? Because it’s fun? Because it’s been commonplace forever?
It’s always funny to me that you chose the name Macbeth for an account you regularly use to criticize other men for looking out for themselves.
LOLOL
wonder who is next.
Worcestershire McQuire
I think in this case, it maybe is not “juice” like a drink, but “juice” as in energy. Not uncommon as a nickname for guys who display energy or spark by explosiveness or being fast on the field in football in youth leagues or primary schools. Most people, of course, don’t end up officially going by the name, but based on people that I know, “Juice” can definitely be a reference to someone who was known on a team in the past to bring energy to a game or practice.
It’s embarrassing. Good on these guys for making all the money they are but if you’re a grown mad wanting to be called Sauce or Juice it is just embarrassing.
Calling a grown man Kool Aid is ridiculous and if you can’t see that, I feel bad.
I heard there was this one schlub who went by Babe instead of George.
Babe Ruth, Catfish Hunter, Chipper Jones, Magic Johnson, Muggsy Bogues, Satchel Paige, Yogi Berra. It’s nothing new…
This is a weird situation for Montgomery to ask to go to if the problem in Detroit was being set aside for a younger primary back.
I disagree. Marks is not Gibbs. He’s okay but he’s definitely a tandem guy.
I would’ve rather kept him. The reports say he wanted out. Does no good to keep somebody that doesn’t wanna stick around. As for the trade, the lions got more in return than I was expecting.
Knuckles!!!!!!!
Nice move
With the CAP, Montgomery was a luxury that couldn’t be afforded. There are still a bunch of desired extensions and a Goff restructure looming, the latter will be necessary to get under the cap.
Montgomery was solid and will be missed. Surprisingly Holmes actually got something in return. This was smelling like a 5th or 6th but then surprise.