• DJ Bien-AimeMar 2, 2026, 11:09 AM ET

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  DJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July of 2022 after covering the New York Jets for the New York Daily News. He's a former athlete who finished his college career at Louisville. You can catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his show "Talkin' Texans."

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HOUSTON -- The Texans are acquiring running back David Montgomery in a trade with the Detroit Lions for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and two draft picks, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

The Lions will receive a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick, the sources said.

Montgomery had 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in three seasons with the Lions. He signed with the Lions in 2023 after four seasons with the Chicago Bears, who selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft.

Houston entered the offseason looking to bolster their running game after a lackluster 2025 year led by fourth-round rookie Woody Marks and Nick Chubb, who is a pending free agent. The Texans ranked 22nd in rushing yards per game (108) as Marks led with 703 yards on the ground.

Montgomery will enter the 2026 season as the No. 1 back for Houston. This also gives more clarity on how the Texans plan to approach Joe Mixon's situation. Mixon, whom the Texans traded for two years ago, missed the entire 2025 season with a foot injury. League sources expect Houston will most likely release Mixon.

Montgomery was unhappy with his reduced role in 2025 while playing alongside Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield but did engage in "healthy dialogue" with Lions general manager Brad Holmes this offseason while deciding whether to push for a trade or remain in Detroit.

Montgomery had his fewest rushes (158) and touches (182) in a season in his career despite playing all 17 games last season.

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After averaging 14.4 rushes per game and 16.3 touches per game in his first two seasons with the Lions, Montgomery averaged 9.3 rushes per game and 10.7 touches per game last season.

Montgomery played 41% of the offensive snaps but that dropped to 33% in Weeks 11-18, per ESPN Research. He didn't have more than 10 carries in a game in any of the Lions' final eight games.

He will turn 29 in June and is set to make $5.49 million this season -- the first of a two-year, $18.25 million extension that he signed with Detroit in October 2024.

Scruggs is the second offensive lineman traded by the Texans on Monday. Houston also agreed to send Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns on Monday in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.

After failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2022, the Lions are prioritizing improving their offensive line, particularly on the interior. Detroit ranked 20th in run block win rate (70.7%) and 30th in pass block win rate (55.2%), as the unit struggled to adapt to their new players.

ESPN's Eric Woodyard contributed to this report.

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