David Montgomery Traded to Texans for Picks, Scruggs; Set to Lead Houston Backfield

Running back David Montgomery has been traded from the Detroit Lions to the Houston Texans. The Lions received a fourth-round pick and OL Juice Scruggs, while the Texans acquired Montgomery and a seventh-round pick. Montgomery, who posted an emotional farewell, had a career-low 158 carries in 2025 with Detroit, where he felt he and Jahmyr Gibbs were co-starters despite Gibbs seeing significantly more touches (320 vs. 182). He joins Houston to address their significant need at RB, bringing proven three-down skills to a run game that ranked 31st in success rate. Montgomery is expected to lead the Texans in touches alongside Woody Marks, offering a fresh start and a potential value RB2 role.