As the Detroit Lions head into their most important offseason in years, one potential decision they are considering will have damning consequences: trading RB David Montgomery would be a huge mistake.
General Manager Brad Holmes has already said that conversations about trading Montgomery are coming. D-Mo is coming off a season that saw his usage drop considerably. The two years prior saw Montgomery and superstar RB Jahmyr Gibbs form the best backfield duo in the NFL. “Sonic and Knuckles” tore through opposing defenses and led the Lions’ ascent to being one of the best teams in the league. Perhaps the biggest reason for Detroit’s underachieving in 2025 was its utter failure in utilizing a player as important as Montgomery. Instead of realizing and fixing their mistake, the Lions seem poised to compound it by shipping Monty to another team. This would be a terrible mistake for many reasons.
Turning A Strength Into A Need
The Lions’ offense turned into a juggernaut under the previous Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson. Johnson understood how lucky the Lions were to have two backs as good as Montgomery and Gibbs. He was able to have both heavily featured in the game plan each week. The Lions thrived using Montgomery as the tone-setter at the beginning of games and then as the team’s closer at the end. Monty’s power running wore out the defense, so the explosive Gibbs was able to cook.
However, new OC John Morton seemed to forget how dynamic the offense can be when both backs are eating. As the season progressed, Montgomery continued to lose touches and snaps. When HC Dan Campbell took over playcalling duties from Morton, he emphasized his desire to get D-Mo more involved. Those words turned out to be empty as Montgomery spent the majority of his time on the sidelines. As Monty’s touches decreased, so did the Lion’s victories.
The Lions now find themselves as a team with a lot of needs. Running back should not be one of them. The Lions have boasted arguably the best RB room in the league for years. Having to replace Montgomery would turn one of the team’s biggest strengths into a need. The Lions must focus their limited resources this offseason on improving an offensive line that is in shambles. They must find a long-term solution at EDGE opposite Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions will also surely add secondary and receiver depth. Adding an unnecessary need at RB will hinder their ability to improve all over the field. With limited cap space and only two top 100 draft picks, the Lions can’t afford to create a need that currently doesn’t exist.
Jahmyr Gibbs
There is no doubt that Gibbs is one of the best players in the NFL. His speed and vision are a nightmare for defenses. He has also greatly benefited from having Montgomery as his backfield mate for his entire career. Monty’s ability to shoulder some of the burden from Gibbs has helped keep Gibbs fresh for the entire season. Running backs take an insane amount of punishment over the course of the season. Having two backs that can split touches means they won’t be too worn down to be effective late in the year. Removing Montgomery could cause Gibbs to break down sooner, both in terms of a season and for his career. Having Montgomery also allows Gibbs to line up as a receiver, where he is a mismatch for anyone trying to cover him. The Lions should be finding more ways to have Sonic and Knuckles on the field together. Trading Montgomery will limit how the Lions can utilize Gibbs.
Gibbs and Montgomery have also formed a bond throughout their time together. They try to make each other better every week, and both realize how important the other is to their own success. Breaking the duo up is a mistake that will negatively affect the entire offense.
Montgomery Is Still Really, Really Good
Gibbs deserves every bit of praise he receives from around the league. His accomplishments seem to make it easy to forget that Montgomery is still really, really good. In his three years in Detroit, Monty has rushed for over 2500 yards, averaging 4.5 YPC, and has a whopping 33 touchdowns. He has accomplished all this while mostly being the 1B to Gibbs’ 1A. Montgomery is both productive and efficient as a runner. His pass-blocking ability also makes him an asset on obvious passing downs. He can be on the field in any situation without the Lions’ offense missing a beat. For a team as aggressive as the Lions are on 4th down, having a bruiser like Montgomery gives Detroit a huge advantage. He runs through contact and can pick up those tough yards that can decide a game. His presence on the field is felt in many ways.
Simply put, the Detroit Lions are a much better football team with D-Mo than they would be without him. Trading David Montgomery is a huge mistake that the Detroit Lions cannot afford to make.