The Detroit Lions no longer have one of the best one-two punches when it comes to backfields around the NFL.
Jahmyr Gibbs lost the "Knuckles" to his "Sonic" on Monday when the Lions traded fellow running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, netting a fourth-round pick, a seventh-rounder, and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs. Although Montgomery had been a trade candidate since the offseason began, his exit isn't any less disappointing.
With Montgomery heading to the Lone Star State, the Lions are left without a proper RB2 behind Gibbs. Running backs Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors, Kye Robichaux, and Jabari Small are all under contract; however, it's safe to say none of the quartet has done enough to warrant a bigger role just yet.
Although free agency and the trade market could provide Detroit with a quick fix, that might not be the best way to solve its RB2 needs. In fact, the Lions might want to look to the Chicago Bears for inspiration as to how to find Montgomery's replacement.
Bears' Kyle Monangai Success Should Inspire Lions' RB2 Hunt
It's hard to give a divisional rival credit for a smart move, especially given how heated things can be in the NFC North. Having said that, the Bears were in a similar spot as the Lions last season, needing to find a proper RB2 to play behind D'Andre Swift.
Instead of going big-name hunting, Chicago opted to use a seventh-round pick on former Rutgers rusher Kyle Monangai, which was a low-risk move that produced big rewards.
Monangai exceeded all expectations placed ahead of him with a solid rookie performance. The 23-year-old RB converted 169 carries into 783 rushing yards and 18 catches into 164 receiving yards, scoring five touchdowns without a fumble. He even hit the 100-yard mark twice, including when he amassed a season-high 198 scrimmage yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9.
That's without mentioning how the New Jersey native saw seven games with double-digit carries, proving that a Day 3 rookie can handle a big workload.
Granted, Monangai did slow down towards the end of the season; however, the value he provided as a seventh-round pick can't be ignored. That isn't to say that the Lions can perfectly recreate history by applying a similar strategy to their offseason plans. Instead, it shows that general manager Brad Holmes can afford to be patient, especially when history has shown that Day 1 and 2 running backs don't always pan out (Trent Richardson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Bishop Sankey, etc.).
Lions Will Have Options on Day 3 of 2026 NFL Draft
Looking at the 2026 class, the Lions should have a few opportunities to draft an RB on Day 3.
Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. or Texas A&M's Le'Veon Moss could be potential targets. There's also Indiana's Kaelon Black, who just registered career-high stats in carries (186), rushing yards (1,040), and touchdowns (10), while helping the Hoosiers to National Championship glory.
New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing loves his running backs, so chances are the Lions can make things work with whoever is named the RB2. With that in mind, figuring out how to have an intimidating offense with a low-cost rookie running back in the mix would allow Holmes to save money on the backfield, leaving more funds for other pressing needs (pass rush, secondary, offensive line, etc.).
As much as it sucks to give kudos to the Bears, credit is needed where it's due. Their decision to roll with Monangai as their RB2 paid off, and the Lions should use that success as inspiration on how to navigate their backfield needs this spring.