Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery took to social media on March 1 to address trade rumors surrounding him.
Earlier in the day, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Montgomery ‘wants out’ from Detroit and that the veteran running back could fetch a Day 3 pick on the trade market.
Montgomery implied he hadn’t expressed such a desire – at least not to Fowler – in a post to X.
‘Damn, Dmo told you that?’ Montgomery wrote, referencing himself by one of his nicknames.
Montgomery has spent the last three seasons with the Lions after playing his first four seasons with the Chicago Bears. He has worked in combination with Jahmyr Gibbs throughout his time in Detroit – serving as the bruising back in the ‘Sonic and Knuckles’ backfield – but has slowly seen his carry share dip as Gibbs’ star has risen.
Last season, Montgomery handled a career-low 158 carries and failed to make a start for the first time in his NFL career. He was still effective despite his decreased workload, generating 716 rushing yards, eight touchdowns and a more-than-respectable 4.5 yards per carry.
With that in mind, teams around the NFL could be interested in pursuing the soon-to-be 29-year-old as a potential backfield leader – especially since he is only set to make a reasonable $6 million in 2026.
But given Montgomery’s comments, it’s unclear whether he would be open to such a change of scenery, even if it comes with an increased role.
David Montgomery contract details
Montgomery signed a two-year extension with the Lions in 2024, tying him to the team through the 2026 NFL season. Below is a look at the terms of that agreement, per Spotrac.com.
Term: 2 years
Total value: $18.25 million
Average annual value (AAV): $9.125 million
Guaranteed money: $10.49 million
Montgomery’s AAV ranks 12th-highest among running backs while the total value of his deal ranks 19th at the position.
While Montgomery’s deal is worth $18.25 million, he is only due $15 million in cash over the next two seasons. The remaining $3.25 million was given to him up front as part of his signing bonus.
As such, any team considering acquiring the veteran would only owe him an average of $7.5 million over the remaining two seasons on his contract.