Experts grade Texans trade for new RB David Montgomery: A smart move?

In 2026, the Houston Texans will have a new front-runner in their backfield.

The Texans are reportedly trading Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery in exchange for several late-round draft picks. Houston plans to have the Lions’ star player join Woody Marks as the new rushing attack partner.

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The Texans will trade a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs in exchange for Montgomery. Houston hopes to extend the 28-year-old running back’s contract once he lands, similar to how Houston traded for Pro Bowler Joe Mixon in 2024.

Montgomery has been one of the league’s second-leading runners since arriving in Detroit. The former Iowa State standout split the ball with All-Pro Jahmyr Gibbs and averaged 170 carries for more than 740 yards and 10 touchdowns per season, helping the Lions reach the playoffs twice in the past three seasons.

In Houston, he’s expected to be the lead back, similar to what he was with the Chicago Bears from 2019-2022. Montgomery rushed for 716 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his third with the Lions. However, due to the emergence of Gibbs in 2024, his role in Detroit has gradually diminished.

In three seasons with the Lions, Montgomery rushed for 2,506 yards, received 650 yards and scored 33 touchdowns. He scored at least seven touchdowns in five of his seven seasons in the NFL.

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What do experts say about this deal? How does Texas Wire rate the deal? Here are the top grades for the newest guard in Houston’s backfield.

Texas Wire’s Cole Thompson – B+

It’s hard to hate this move considering Nick Caserio’s track record of finding veteran backs looking for fresh starts. Yes, the asking price is a bit high, but Juice Scruggs entered the year fighting for a roster spot, and most seventh-round picks weren’t going to make it onto the Texans’ draft board anyway.

Despite entering their eighth year in the league, the Texans are counting on limited reps under Montgomery as a reason for their young players to rise. He’s an ideal fit in Nick Culley’s zone offense, which relies on body movement rather than speed to attack the perimeter. He was also a disruptor at the goal line, totaling six red zone touchdowns last season. That was perhaps the biggest weakness of Houston’s offense last season under its first-year coach.

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Montgomery has to prove he still has the potential to be a leading back, but given the market and his $6 million salary, the Texans may have found a Pro Bowl-caliber star once again just looking for an opportunity to be a leading back.

Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News – A

“Last season, the Texans had to scramble because of Joe Mixon’s lingering knee injury, ending up with a backfield led by rookie Woody Marks and former Browns star Nick Chubb, who turned 30 in December,” Iyer said. Marks is their leading rusher and receiver at the position and has shown some serious ability.

But Marks also proved to be very ineffective behind a mediocre offensive line. Montgomery rushed the ball hard and scored with the Lions’ dynamic blocking and high-octane scheme. He’s a tough runner who gets plenty of yards between the tackles, makes great plays at the goal line, and does all the little things well in the passing game. Montgomery, 28, is set to serve on a committee in Detroit and could provide C.J. Stroud with plenty of fresh, physical pieces to help stabilize the backcourt. “

CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan – B

Sullivan: “The Texans need to do something about their lackluster running game, and Montgomery has improved the talent level in the backfield. With that in mind, they were a better team on Monday than they were on Sunday before the trade.

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The deal should also give second-year running back Woody Marks a big role in the passing game. Marks only caught 24 balls for 208 yards and three touchdowns in his rookie season, but he has the potential to be a legitimate threat as a receiver out of the backfield. Since Montgomery could be in With the short-yardage situation in mind, Houston would be wise to keep Marks as a true pass-rushing back while giving him a role in the early offense. It certainly won’t be the Sonic and Knuckles duo that Detroit enjoyed with Gibbs and Montgomery, but it’s possible that Marks will be available in 2026 thanks to this trade. become more dynamic every year.”

ESPN’s Seth Wold – D

Wald said: “The Texans get a reliable veteran in Montgomery, who rushed for 125 yards above expectations against Detroit in 2025, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. But his role has gradually declined in recent years with the emergence of Jameer Gibbs. In Montgomery’s 14 games in 2023, he played 48% of the snaps and carried the ball in 219 games through 2025. Although Montgomery’s catching performance was also limited by Gibbs in 17 games, those numbers dropped to 37% and 158 catches, respectively, as his 24 catches last season were nowhere near the 54 he had with the Bears in 2020.

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“Montgomery’s contract makes sense: If unaffected, it will cost Houston $6 million in cash this year (and $9 million non-guaranteed next year). But that doesn’t mean it’s a smart acquisition. An aging (29 in June), early-retirement back who’s been phased out by previous teams isn’t worth spending real resources on. I’m surprised Detroit was able to attract a 4-7 trade here, as the Texans could find a similar player. The production is expected to be much lower.”

Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated – C+

“From the looks of it, the Texans are getting some much-needed help at running back,” Kadlik said. “They finished with 1,852 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025 and averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, fourth in the NFL. Houston doesn’t sound confident that Joe Mixon will be back, and while rookie Woody Marks has performed well, he’s far from a leader.” His ability was demonstrated by his multiple early exits due to injuries last season.

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“Over the past three seasons, Montgomery has gained 4.5 yards per carry, 33 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards. That said, Way The Texans’ decision to acquire him is questionable. After trading their most versatile offensive lineman, Howard, to Cleveland starting Monday, Houston will now not only trade draft capital for Montgomery; other Offensive lineman Scruggs started 20 games for them over the past three seasons. “

SB Nation’s Mark Schofield-B-

“Montgomery is still an effective back, and with Gibbs emerging over the past two seasons, Montgomery’s reduced workload in Detroit means he arrives in Houston with plenty of energy left. As many NFL insiders noted when news of the trade broke, this move follows a pattern from Texans general manager Nick Caserio. Two years ago, the Texans traded for Joe Mixon, who became a vital part of their offense in Year Two. Then, Nick Chubb Chubb has been added to the roster, and now Montgomery becomes a trio of strong backs who can give the offense a boost.

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However, transactions don’t happen in a vacuum.

Heading into the NFL offseason, one of the biggest question marks is how the Texans will shape their offensive line and help C.J. Stroud. Strengthening their running game does seem like a smart move — and Montgomery will help in that regard — but the effectiveness of the running game often depends on the five players on the offensive line.

With Howard and Scruggs on their way out of Houston, two other pieces of offensive line space have been removed from the board. This brings the grade down a bit as we wonder how the Texans will shape their offensive line heading into the new season. “

This article originally appeared on Texans Wired: What experts say about Texans trading new linebacker David Montgomery: Smart move?