The Chicago Bears' decision to move on from David Montgomery was somewhat surprising at the time, especially given that, with D'Andre Swift's arrival, the team essentially swapped ball-carriers with the Detroit Lions, an unusual move among divisional rivals.
Montgomery spent the past three years playing for Dan Campbell. His role, as expected, declined in each season, with Jahmyr Gibbs getting more touches as he established himself as a pro. That's why his frustration ultimately led to his exit.
Now, the Lions sent him to the Houston Texans in a deal that, despite some early skepticism, might turn out to be a blessing in disguise for him. If he's efficient, he'll have a green light to get as many touches as he can handle.
David Montgomery Won't Have Competition with the Texans
The Texans have unsuccessfully tried to establish the run with a proven veteran at running back. Joe Mixon's bizarre injury cost him last season, and Nick Chubb wasn't the same tackle-breaking machine and speedy guy he was in his prime.
Now, Montgomery stands alone in the race to be the primary ball-carrier. Woody Marks will probably take some pass-catching duties and be an option in the two-minute offense, but the job is Montgomery's to lose. Barring a surprise, Marks shouldn't pose much of a threat to the former Bears star.
Montgomery has amassed 1,000 rushing yards just twice in his career, once in Chicago and once in Detroit. He has a prime opportunity to do so in Houston next season, since they've revamped the offensive line and will try to take pressure off C.J. Stroud's shoulders by taking the ball away from his hands early and often.
While not a superstar by any means, Montgomery is a hard-hitting guy who won't mind putting his body on the line to get an additional yard, especially near the goal line. He's a durable player who has missed only 14 games in his seven years in the league, and he's never missed more than 4 games in a single season.
Also, while Montgomery still has two years left in his contract, the Texans can actually save $2.1 million in cap space by cutting him after this season, according to Over The Cap. As such, this will essentially be a contract year for him. After the way things ended for him with the Lions, he should be extremely motivated to prove that he's still got plenty left in the tank.