David Montgomery’s rough start in Houston is making Detroit’s decision look pretty sharp.
The former Lions running back, who once formed a productive tandem with Jahmyr Gibbs, has gone from steady piece in Detroit to a player Bill Barnwell put on his list of 15 NFL players and coaches on the hot seat entering Week 6. Montgomery’s last month with the Texans has been a steep drop after a solid opener.
Barnwell pointed to both the production and the lack of splash plays. As he wrote, "The latest in a series of offseason additions to try to fix a moribund Texans running game, Montgomery hasn't been able to transfer his successful three-year stretch in Detroit to Houston.
Though the 2019 third-round pick scored three touchdowns in the Week 1 loss to the Bills, Montgomery has averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and posted a league-worst 23.1% success rate. You can help compensate for those issues with explosive runs, but Montgomery has just one gain of 10-plus yards across 52 carries this season."
Montgomery is also dealing with a groin injury suffered against the Tennessee Titans last week, which only adds to the Texans’ uncertainty in the backfield. If he can’t turn things around soon, Houston may have to lean much harder on Woody Marks.
Barnwell noted that possibility as well: "The second-year pro had what qualifies as a great game on the ground for a Texans back, turning 15 carries into 62 yards while adding four catches for 23 yards as a receiver," Barnwell writes. "The Texans have been hesitant to turn the lead role over to Marks, but Montgomery's struggles and the groin injury might leave them no choice."
Detroit, meanwhile, has already gotten the short-term benefit of the deal. The Lions and general manager Brad Holmes moved on from a popular back, and through the first five weeks of the 2026 NFL season, they’re seeing the move pay off.
There’s also a separate decision brewing on the offensive line. Juice Scruggs has been the highest PFF-graded center in the NFL at 75.6, and he filled in well while Cade Mays was out. But the former Carolina Panthers lineman is expected back from a wrist injury, and Scruggs is likely to slide into a reserve role behind a player who signed a lucrative three-year free-agent deal this offseason.
That leaves Holmes with another possible roster choice if he wants to chase help elsewhere, even if it would not be a popular one. The Lions are still sitting with the worst pass defense in the NFL, and cornerback remains a clear problem that needs more than a temporary fix.
In Other News...
Lions Suddenly Have A Real Center Decision To Make
Cade Mays training-camp wrist fracture created a quiet opening on the Lions offensive line, and now that opening has turned into a real decision. The free-agent addition has been working back toward full availability, while backup center Juice Scruggs has handled the job well enough to keep the conversation from being simple.
Dan Campbell said Detroit will assess Mays in practice before deciding how to fold him back into the line, which is exactly the kind of week-to-week call that can shape an offense in September. Around the league, there is already belief in what Mays can bring when he is healthy, but for the Lions the immediate question is less about reputation than timing, fit, and whether the group that has been holding up can keep rolling a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Linebacker Decision That Could Test Their Rookies
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One obvious beneficiary is rookie Jimmy Rolder, who has mostly been used on special teams so far. If the Lions decide to stay internal, his defensive snaps could rise quickly, but the team also has another route available if it wants more stability and experience in the room. Joe Bachie is sitting on the practice squad as a possible answer, and Detroit now has to decide how aggressively it wants to patch the hole. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Goff's Rare Lions Highlight Had His Wife Calling Him Out
Jared Goff rarely gets the spotlight for what he does with his legs, which made his rushing touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 11 stand out all the more for the Lions. After the game, the Detroit quarterback posted photos on Instagram celebrating the score, a lighthearted post that drew playful reactions from family and teammates and added a little extra life to an already comfortable win.
For Goff, it was the kind of offbeat moment that tends to follow a player who has settled in as one of the faces of the franchise, even if his biggest work still comes from the pocket. The reaction from Christen Goff and others turned a simple highlight into a small social media scene, the sort of reminder that the Lions' season has become as much about personality and connection as it is about the box score. [Read more 🡒]