The Houston Texans busy Monday continues. Not long after trading RT Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns, the team has reportedly traded for Detroit Lions RB David Montgomery.
According to Adam Schefter, the deal will see Montgomery head to Houston, while Detroit will acquire offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a 2026 4th round pick, and a 2027 7th rounder.
It was widely known around the league that Houston was entering the offseason looking for help in their backfield. The Texans ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108) in 2025, and had more questions than answers at running back as the 2026 NFL Draft approached.
Veteran back Joe Mixon’s future remains murky at best as he continues to rehab from a foot/ankle condition which cost him the entirety of the 2025 season. Nick Chubb, who was brought in last offseason to provide some stability in the backfield looked a step behind for most of the year, and is now a free agent. And 4th round rookie Woody Marks led the team with 703 rushing yards, but appears to be more of a change of pace back than a full fledged workhorse at the NFL level.
Meanwhile, Montgomery has been one of the most consistent backs in the league over the last 3 seasons with Detroit, registering 2,506 yards on the ground and 33 touchdowns with the Lions. All the while splitting carries with Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs.
Despite playing all 17 games last year, Montgomery saw the fewest rushes (158) and touches (182) of his career last season. As a result, he and his agents approached GM Brad Holmes this offseason looking for a change of scenery.
In Houston he figures to be the number 1 back and get plenty of touches for an offence that oscillated between putrid and looking like a pseudo-Super Bowl contender last season. With an all-world defence, Houston won multiple “ugly” games in 2025 due in part to poor play from QB C.J. Stroud and also due to the lack of production from their running game.
The only question now is who will be blocking up front for Montgomery when he takes the field this season. As mentioned, the team traded starting RT Tytus Howard earlier in the day, and by adding Juice Scruggs to the deal, the team is even thinner still along their offensive line.
Whether by free agency or at the draft, Houston figures to take a long hard look at rebuilding their blocking over the coming weeks, as they currently feature only 2 starters from last year still under contract.
Photo: Bobak Ha’Eri. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.