The David Montgomery era in Detroit may be nearing its end, whether he wants to admit it or not.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler dropped a notable nugget out of the 2026 NFL Combine: Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit. The Lions would want a Day 3 pick, likely a fifth-rounder, in return. Montgomery responded on X with five loaded words: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”, casting doubt on Fowler’s sourcing without issuing a clean denial.
While Montgomery has overcome adversity his entire life, this situation feels different, especially after he seemingly found a home in Detroit.
The irony is that less than a month earlier during Super Bowl week, the Lions running back was singing a different tune: “I just think having us both together and us both being as selfless as we are, it’s something special to be a part of.”
Whether he meant it or has since reconsidered, something clearly shifted between February and Indianapolis.
The Stats Tell the Story
Since Montgomery arrived in Detroit in 2023, his role has been methodically handed off to Jahmyr Gibbs.
The volume erosion is striking: Montgomery averaged 15.6 carries per game in his first Lions season, 13.2 in 2024, and just 9.3 in 2025, a 40% drop despite playing three more games. He rushed for 1,015 yards on 219 attempts in 2023. Last season, those numbers dropped to 716 yards on 158 carries in 17 games.
His total EPA, which is a measure of how much value he adds throughout the season, has collapsed from +16.73 in 2023 to +4.64 in 2025, a 72% decline. His EPA per rush is now slightly negative (-0.004), a sign he’s being deployed almost exclusively in low-value, short-yardage situations where positive EPA is structurally difficult to generate.
The most damaging data point: even those short-yardage situations are slipping away.
Montgomery’s red zone touches dropped from 54 in 2023 to just 36 last season. His rushing touchdowns fell from 13 (in 14 games) to 8 (in 17 games). Gibbs, meanwhile, posted 13 rushing TDs in 2025 and is set to receive a massive extension this offseason.
The math is simple — this backfield only has room for one featured back, and Detroit made its choice.
To his credit, Montgomery’s efficiency hasn’t fallen off a cliff. His 4.53 yards per carry in 2025 nearly matched his 2023 mark, and his yards after contact per carry (3.77) is a career-high in Detroit. He remains a reliable, physical runner. He’s just not getting the ball.
Detroit’s Stance on a Trade
GM Brad Holmes chose his words carefully at the Combine: “We love David. He’s a great player… but a player has to want to be at a certain place as well.”
That’s front-office speak for: we’re open to moving him if the right offer comes. “We want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward,” Holmes added.
That sounds like an organization that has already done exactly that.
With a $8.4 million cap hit in 2026 and Detroit prioritizing a Gibbs extension, the Lions have plenty of incentive to make a deal.
The asking price is low enough that a deal gets done quickly once a team raises its hand.
Top 3 Trade Destinations for David Montgomery
Here are three potential landing spots for Montgomery, if the Lions decide to trade him this offseason.
Seattle Seahawks
Fowler floated this one himself, and it’s the most compelling fit.
Kenneth Walker III is an unrestricted free agent and Seattle is unlikely to use the franchise tag on him. Plus, Zach Charbonnet is coming off a torn ACL.
The defending Super Bowl champions could enter 2026 with a gaping hole at running back. Montgomery would be a sensible stopgap for a team that led the NFL in rush rate last season.
A fifth-round pick is a negligible price for a championship-caliber front office trying to plug a glaring weakness.
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL, and Kansas City’s early-season gameplan may hinge more on the run than at any point in the Mahomes era.
The Chiefs backfield depth entering 2026 is unsettled, and if Walker’s market price exceeds their threshold in free agency, Montgomery becomes an attractive fallback option.
Andy Reid has consistently maximized complementary backs, and Montgomery’s short-yardage reliability, even in a diminished role, would serve the Chiefs well.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are a long shot, but hear it out.
Rico Dowdle is a free agent and expected to draw significant outside interest. If Carolina loses him, they have a legitimate need at running back and the Panthers were at their best when Dowdle and Chubba Hubbard were operating as a one-two punch.
Montgomery is the kind of productive veteran that fits that role without requiring a big free agency commitment. At a fifth-round pick, the price is right for a team with bigger fish to fry this offseason.
Bottom Line
Montgomery’s denial may be genuine, but Detroit’s stance isn’t changing. Gibbs is the present and future.
On the other hand, Montgomery is a physical, efficient runner being phased toward the exit. The asking price is low and there’s a real market for running backs with his elite production profile.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a deal happen before or during the 2026 NFL Draft.
