Lions trade Montgomery to Texans for Scruggs, 4th, 7th-round picks, AP source says

The Detroit Lions traded running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs along with fourth and seventh-round picks, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

Detroit dealt a veteran running back who wanted more carries for much-needed depth on the offensive line and extra selections in next month's NFL draft.

Montgomery should have a chance to start for the Texans.

He was a backup with little chance to play ahead of Jahymr Gibbs, a Pro Bowl player in each of his first three NFL seasons.

Montgomery finished with career lows in rushing attempts (158) and yards rushing (716). He still scored eight touchdowns and his 4.5 yards per carry trailed only his career-best 4.6 yards per attempt in 2023 when he had 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground during his debut season in Detroit.

The 28-year-old Montgomery has 6,115 yards rushing and 59 touchdowns along with 1,890 yards receiving and four scores over four seasons with the Chicago Bears and three with the Lions.

Without him on the roster, Detroit will likely look to add a backup running back in free agency this month or the draft in April.

Houston selected Scruggs in the second round in 2023. He might start at center or guard in Detroit, where revamping a once-powerful offensive line is a top priority this offseason after the weakness of the unit led to the team missing the playoffs.