A surprising D-grade for Houston's David Montgomery trade raises questions. Did the Texans overpay for a veteran running back, or is this a necessary piece?
The Houston Texans entered the offseason with a clear need to fix the running game. In many ways it looks like they did so with the addition of Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery and five offensive line signings.
Some of the linemen with which the Texans reached deals were players that were on the team last season. Even so, Houston solidified their offensive front and found a quality running back to run behind them. So, the offseason was a resounding success to everyone, right? Maybe not.
Houston's trade for Montgomery drew mixed reviews with some thinking the team gave up too much to get the ball carrier and others not super high on what the running back brings to the table.
ESPN analyst Seth Walder gave the Texans a D-grade for their trade acquisition of Detroit running back David Montgomery. Walder explained why the trade was not necessarily the greatest value for the Texans.
"In Montgomery, the Texans acquire a reliable veteran who recorded 125 rush yards over expected with Detroit in 2025, per NFL Next Gen Stats. But his role has steadily decreased in recent years with the emergence of Jahmyr Gibbs. In the 14 games Montgomery played in 2023, he was featured on 48% of snaps and carried the ball 219 games. By 2025, those numbers dropped to 37% and 158, respectively, despite playing in 17 games. Montgomery's receiving work was also limited because of Gibbs -- as his 24 receptions last season were nowhere close to the 54 he once caught with the Bears in 2020.
Montgomery's contract is reasonable: It'll cost Houston $6 million in cash this year (and $9 million nonguaranteed next year) if left untouched. But that does not mean this was a smart acquisition. An aging (29 years old in June), early-down back whose prior team had been phasing him out is not worth spending real resources on. It surprises me that Detroit was able to lure a four-seven swap here since the Texans could have found comparable expected production for far less."
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery runs against Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (39) during the second half. Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesYou don't have to be super crazy about what Montgomery brings to the table to admit that he dramatically improves the Houston running game. Some ask, "But at what cost?" It does not appear that the Texans were too concerned about the cost when they made the deal.
The picks that Houston gave up might have been more than Montgomery was worth, but the Texans addressed a huge need. We'll monitor if the trade ends up being worth what Houston traded when Montgomery takes the field with the Texans this season.